Dawn of the Moonfang
by Tango Dancer
Summary: 7 years into the Winter War, the Kurosakis are forced to leave Japan for the twins' safety. They go to England, and finally acknowledge their mother's legacy. But Aizen plans, Death Eaters still lurk, and both worlds collide in the end. IchigoByakuya
1. Leaving

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hello there!<br>So, this must be my 3rd or 4th Xover, but it's my 1st time writing a Bleach/HP story. It's a request fic for _fat ppl are harder to kidnap_, whom I would like to thank very much for the idea. We discussed what would be happening in the story, but I hope he will love the story.  
>This chapter is quite short compared to the following ones: 6 pages on my computer instead of the usual 8, but it gets longer afterwards. I already have eleven and a half chapters written down for this story, and will try to update regularly.<strong>

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong> 7 years into the Winter war, and things aren't getting better. The Kurosakis leave Japan for the twins' safety, and go to England, where the three children can finally get involved with the Magical world and fully acknowledge their mother's legacy. But Aizen plans, and the Death Eaters are still around. Ichigo finds himself involved yet in another conflict, one he has no part in, as the war of the spirits and the mortals join, and everything goes downhill. AU.

**Pairings:** Ichigo/Byakuya (main), Kurosaki Karin/Blaise Zabini, Kurosaki Yuzu/Théodore Nott, Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Renji/Rukia, Ishida/Inoue, Ukitake/Kyoraku

**Warnings: **AU. Slash. If you don't like it, press the back button and don't bother sending flames, they will, as someone said, be printed, laughed at and recycled to print yaoi manga.

#7th year. Ongoing Winter War.

#Different happenings (which will be mentioned and explained) in Ichigo's life prior to and during canon, which occurred anyway.

#Ichigo was born in 1975. He is five years older than Harry, Ron and Hermione, and seven years older than his sisters.

#Masaki died in 1984, so that makes Ichigo 9, like in Canon.

**So I think I said it all... Other elements I will precise later if need be.  
>If you have questions, don't hesitate and ask them. Also, I am French, not an English-speaker, and am therefore likely to make some grammar or spelling mistakes. Please tell me about them so I can correct them.<br>This story is not beta-ed, so if there are missing words or chunks of sentences, tell me and I will re-proofread the chapter.  
>Thank you and enjoy!<strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span>

"We're leaving."

Kurosaki Ichigo looked around the meeting room, at the serious faces of the twelve men and women whose attention was currently entirely focused on him.

"Leaving?" Hitsugaya Toshirou, captain of the tenth division, asked, icy blue eyes narrowed at the younger Shinigami.

"Karakura has become too dangerous for my sisters to stay in. My father has decided that we would move to England."

Silence reigned over them for a few minutes as they all digested the news.

"Does that mean you won't help with the war anymore?"

The question came from Ukitake Jûshiro, thirteenth captain, who looked sincerely concerned, and not accusing at all. Ichigo liked his compassionate and understanding nature. He shrugged.

"Well, I suppose they do have Hollows over there, don't they?"

"Actually, that is quite fortunate."

Everybody froze at the Soutaichou's words, and turned to him in surprise.

"What do you mean, Yama-jii?" Kyoraku Shunsui asked, tilting his straw hat a little higher so that he could look at the old man.

"Kurotsuchi-taichou."

The blue-haired, white and black-skinned, yellow-eyed freak stepped forward, a smug smile on his face.

"We have noticed strange readings in the World of the Living, precisely in England. It seems that the number of Hollows appearing there, which had been, up to six months ago, extremely low, has suddenly increased dramatically. It actually jumped from a maximum of ten per year to twenty per week."

Gasps echoed around the room at the statistics, and Ichigo's eyes hardened in anticipation.

"Strangely enough", Kurotsuchi went on, "England is a country with a lot of spiritually gifted people, except that they do not use their reiatsu the way we do, and do not know of pluses and Hollows. Instead, they channel it through sticks they call 'wands', and believe it to be magic."

Ichigo's eyebrows shot up.

"Wizards?" He said.

The twelfth captain turned to him.

"You know of them?"

Ichigo snorted.

"Well, of course. My mother was a witch, as are my sisters."

A stunned silence fell for a few seconds, before Kuchiki Byakuya spoke up in his usual cold manner.

"Are you trying to tell us that you are a wizard as well?"

Mismatched eyes clashed with steel gray as the two men looked at each other.

"Indeed."

"And you didn't deem it necessary to tell us why?" Komamura asked, yellow eyes narrowed as he stared him down menacingly.

Unfortunately for him, the young man had seen far more terrifying than an overgrown fox, as he liked to inwardly call the seventh captain, and was completely unfazed by the glare, which he met evenly.

"Because it was none of your business, and never came up."

The fox man growled low in his throat, but then, surprisingly enough, Byakuya's voice rang out in a dry demand.

"Control yourself, Komamura-taichou."

It was enough to get him to back down, and Ichigo tilted his head at the noble ever so slightly as thanks, before returning his attention to the Soutaichou.

"You were saying my leaving to England was convenient?"

"Yes. The increasing number of Hollows is extremely suspicious, and even if it is not a result of Aizen's activity, we were planning to send someone there to take care of the situation there. Since you will be living there, you can destroy the threat, and determine whether it is Aizen's doing or not."

Ichigo seemed to think about it for a moment, but nodded.

"Very well."

"When and where will you be going?"

"London, England, though my sisters will be attending a Wizarding school in Scotland, where I will be a teacher. We are leaving at the end of the week."

Eyebrows shot up at that, but then again, none of them knew anything about wizardry, so they didn't comment.

"You will still be expected to fulfill your duties as head of the Shihouin clan and captain of the fifth division, though, I hope you are aware of that."

Mismatched eyes narrowed.

"I am perfectly aware of my duties, Yamamoto-Soutaichou, and I'd appreciate if you would refrain from insulting me."

The ancient man tilted his head as an apology, and the younger man relaxed ever so slightly.

"If that is all?"

"Indeed it is. Dismissed!"

The captains filed out of the meeting hall, and Ichigo was the first out, though Byakuya was quick to catch up to him. The two walked silently for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet around them, before the Kuchiki Clan Head spoke up.

"How long do you surmise your stay in England will be?"

"The time to graduate is supposed to be seven years, but Karin and Yuzu are already fifteen, meaning that they only have three years to go including this one. So I suppose we'll be gone until their graduation at least. I don't think my father will allow them to move back to Japan if the war isn't over, though."

The noble nodded in understanding.

"You know you can stop by anytime." He said emotionlessly.

His companion shot him a sharp glance from the corner of his eye, and nodded.

"Thank you. I will remember it. If you happen to have time and go to the Living World, here is the address." He handed him a small folded piece of white paper, which the older man took and tucked into his haori.

"Thank you. Are you free?"

Ichigo shrugged elegantly.

"Yes."

"Let us have a cup of tea, then."

A fleeting smile briefly curled the younger man's lips up, before his face blanked again.

"I would like that."

o-O-o

"Ichigo!"

The young man, who had been about to step into the Senkaimon, turned around, and looked at the Shinigamis standing behind him. Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji, Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumihika, Zaraki Kenpachi, and a good majority of the officers were there to say goodbye, and he couldn't help the brief smile at the sight. They may have been his enemies at first, but now, they were his friends, and his brothers in arms.

He stood still amidst the well-wishes, thanking them with a nod of the head, knowing it was enough for them to know it was appreciated. They had known him for seven years already. They knew how he was. Turning around when they were all finished, he met a steel gray gaze, and extended his hand to clasp the Kuchiki Clan Head forearm, as the man reciprocated the gesture. It was an ancient salutation, one of respect, affection and pride, a prerogative of the nobles, and though Ichigo hadn't been raised in the traditional ways of the Shihouin, he had been quick to catch up with the etiquette.

He was the epitome of nobility.

The two men pulled away after a few seconds of silent embrace, and then, Ichigo stepped into the Senkaimon with a final nod, and disappeared, swallowed by the light.

The double doors slid shut, and the gate vanished. Everybody went back to their occupations.

o-O-o

The Kurosaki family boarded the plane to London six days later, after several hours of intense packing and running around in panic at the thought that they might have forgotten something. Isshin had bought first-class tickets, something Ichigo would never understand, but he wasn't about to complain, seeing as the seats were certainly much more comfortable than anything he would ever have had in second class. What's more, his father had whined and cried so much when he had wanted to change them to second-class tickets, that he had had to give up so as not to get a permanent migraine.

They settled down quickly, and when the stewardess came, the young man asked for a coke, while his sisters got a coke and an orange juice. His father chose a beer, before turning to them, all goofiness gone from his face for once, and started talking.

"I have several things you should know before we arrive. The Wizarding world, as you know, has both good and bad people, but recently, a war occurred between the Dark Lord Voldemort and the Light Side, led by Albus Dumbledore."

"He's the Headmaster of Hogwarts, isn't he?" Karin said.

Isshin nodded.

"Yes. He is also considered the most powerful wizard in the world, along with Voldemort, and Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, who is the Dark Lord's defeater."

"Are they still at war?" The girl asked once again.

"It has just ended. Harry Potter, who will be in seventh year at Hogwarts this year, killed him two months ago. There were a lot of casualties, and you have to know, that the Wizarding world is extremely prejudiced. Like Shinigamis hate Hollows and anything related to them, English Wizards can't stand anything remotely Dark, and the school is a victim of these divisions between Dark and Light wizards."

"That's stupid." Ichigo interjected. "Dark wizards aren't necessarily evil."

His father shot him a piercing glance and nodded.

"Exactly. Unfortunately, only a few understand this, and I'm afraid that segregation and prejudices are still going strong there, especially after the war. The school is, as you know, divided between four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Traditionally, Slytherins are Dark Wizards, Death Eaters, and future Dark Lords. In other words, they are evil."

"Idiotic." Ichigo deadpanned.

Isshin smiled, while Karin scowled, and Yuzu frowned in worry.

"That's terrible!" She commented softly.

"I think Yuzu doesn't really have anything to worry about. You're more Hufflepuff material if you ask me. You, however," the former Shinigami turned to his eldest daughter, "are very likely to end up in Slytherin."

She shrugged.

"I know how to take care of myself. Let them try anything, they won't know what hit them." She said indifferently, her arms crossed on her chest.

"Good." Isshin approved.

The two males' gazes met over the girls' heads, and Ichigo nodded silently in promise. Nothing would happen to his sisters, he would make sure of it. And if anyone tried to hurt them, they would wish they had never been born.

"That's not all, though." He said to get their attention. "During the war, Dumbledore had created a vigilante group called 'The Order of the Phoenix'" he ignored Ichigo's snort at the name "to oppose Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters. Most Death Eaters were killed during the Final Battle, but a lot also escaped, and are now lying low in wait for a good occasion to avenge their Lord and rise again. You will have to be very careful." His unusually serious gaze locked with his son's mismatched eyes. "Ichigo... you more than anyone else."

o-O-o

They were going to live at Hogwarts. Though Isshin was, overall, a muggle, his spiritual pressure and knowledge of Kidô, the Demon Arts, would make it so that the idea of him not being a wizard would never even so much as cross anybody's mind. The flight was long, very much so, but Isshin was enough of a distraction for his daughter for the first five hours, and then, the movie service of the plane was filled enough that they wouldn't get bored. Ichigo spent the totality of the flight with his earphones in his ears, listening to music before he decided to scroll through the list of movies, and settled for_Underworld_, watching the entire trilogy in one go, before switching on to _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_, and so on.

He never chose a romance, for his years at war had completely disconnected him from such things. He preferred his movies- no doubt a side-effect of his merging with his Hollow- with lots of blood, and sometimes, a quiet film but never with a love story.

They landed after a twenty-hours flight with no small relief, and Ichigo felt immense satisfaction when he could finally get some fresh air, and use his legs. Finally, he was out of the flying box. He still wondered why they hadn't just opened a Seikamon or a Garganta to England, but his father had been adamant they had to arrive the normal way.

They waited for half an hour to get their luggage, before exiting the airport, and taking a cab to the closest hotel. It had been decided that Isshin and the girls would be staying at the hotel for a few days, the time for Ichigo to go to Hogwarts and settle everything with the Headmaster.

The hotel was quite clean, and the receptionist, charming. She was quick to hand them two keys, one for the two males, and the other, for the girls. Ichigo went up with them to leave his bags there -with his sisters, he didn't trust his father not to rummage through his belongings, and then quickly bid them farewell and left.

He walked down the street quietly for a while, his hands in his pockets, and then took the subway to the center of London, were he followed the threads of reiatsu in the atmosphere to a shady looking pub nobody seemed to notice. Shrugging, he walked in, and immediately found himself the prey to the suspicious stares of the consumers. He ignored them easily, though, and walked directly over to the fireplace. He tossed a pinch of floo powder in the hearth and stepped in the green flames with the elegance of someone completely used to this means of transport.

"Hogsmeade, The Three Broomsticks."

He knew he couldn't arrive directly in the Headmaster's office, for the wards would never allow him in, and he didn't fancy finding himself on the wrong end of a wand, especially the wand of someone as powerful as Albus Dumbledore. What's more, he wanted to see the castle before going in, to assess the surroundings his sisters and himself would be living, studying in and teaching in. He wasn't disappointed.

The Three Broomsticks was a welcoming pub, with a light atmosphere and a well-endowed owner by the name of Rosmerta who, he had no doubt, most certainly had half the school population drooling over her. She greeted him pleasantly, and he answered politely, but didn't linger, and quickly got out.

o-O-o

Ichigo stood at the gates, looking at the school. Well, the school... more like the _castle_. It looked positively ancient, with lots of towers and windows, large ornate doors he could see from his position, which was saying something about their size, and old, grey stone, which he could feel vibrate with magic. The wards hummed as he passed their limit, thin tendrils of magic caressing his body as he walked, and he smiled briefly.

This was another world. But he liked it anyway. It was a part of himself just as much as his Shinigami heritage, and he wasn't about to let it down.

The young man made his way over to the castle, and swiftly walked up the steps leading to the entrance, before walking through the double doors and stopping in the Entrance Hall. The school year had obviously already started. Students stared at him as he walked past, but he ignored them. He had known his sisters and himself would come late in the term, seeing as they hadn't been able to leave before September 1st, and it was now September 3rd. An old man with a long beard and outrageously bright, hideous green with pink polka dots robes was there, who beamed upon seeing him, and walked over to him, hand already extended as he greeted him.

"Ah, Mr Kurosaki. I'm glad you could make it."

"Headmaster Dumbledore, I suppose? Kurosaki Ichigo."

They shook hands briefly. The old wizard's eyes were a piercing blue, and twinkling with a happiness and energy he had not seen for a very long time. It made him slightly uneasy, but he swiftly crushed the emotion.

"Let us go to my office."

Ichigo nodded curtly and followed him through the hallways and up to the second floor, where they stopped before a hideous gargoyle.

"Liquorice wands."

The gargoyle jumped aside at the password, and the two men walked up the spiraling staircase before entering a circular office. Ichigo looked around as Dumbledore went to sit down behind his desk. There were trinkets everywhere, bookshelves at the back of the room, and portraits on the walls, most likely of the former Headmasters and Headmistresses. A phoenix was perched close to the desk, and he nodded at it while the bird trilled gently in greeting.

"Please take a seat."

He did so.

"Lemon drop?"

Raising an eyebrow at the strange question, he politely declined. He had never been a fan of sweets, and anyway, he wasn't about to accept food from anyone he didn't trust, when it could have been laced with anything. The old man popped one of the treats in his mouth and sucked on it quietly, before finally looking at him over his glasses.

"So, are you still taking the job?"

"Yes. My sisters should arrive as soon as possible. I am very sorry we couldn't arrive earlier, but our departure was quite... sudden, and we had important matters to settle."

"Of course, my boy, of course, I understand perfectly, it's no problem at all, don't worry." The man greeted his teeth at being called 'my boy' as the Headmaster waved the apology away, but said nothing.

"Your rooms have already been prepared. I will show you to them if you want. There are separate quarters for your father as well, though the two suites communicate, but I thought it might be easier for you when you teach, to be able to have some privacy."

Ichigo almost snorted at that. Grading papers would have been hell if his father had shared his quarters: he would have had to hide in some hole of the castle to actually get some peace. He shuddered inwardly at the idea.

"Your sisters will be sorted at dinner tomorrow... they can be here by then, yes?"

"We still need to go to Diagon Alley, but other than that, it should be fine."

"Good, good. And then, they will settle down in the dorms of the House they will have been sorted in. I believe you are familiar with the system?"

"Indeed I am, and so are they."

"Good, good." Dumbledore repeated. "You will also be introduced to the student population at that time."

Ichigo nodded, and the old man stood.

"I will show you to your quarters now. When do you plan to get your sisters here?"

"We will all move in tomorrow. As of now, we are staying at a hotel near the airport. I will most likely apparate us from the Leaky Cauldron."

"Very well. Follow me now, my boy."

They exited the office and walked down the stairs, before walking up to the fifth floor, and stopping before a portrait of a young man wearing all black, and the traditional garb of the Fûma Ninjas.

"Good evening, Neyel. This is Kurosaki Ichigo, you will be guarding his chambers." He turned to the younger man. "The password is 'chocolate frog'. You can change it simply by telling Neyel here."

Ichigo nodded, and looked at the portrait.

"_Good evening, Neyel-san_." He said in Japanese. "_I am Kurosaki Ichigo. Pleased to meet you._"

The man's eyes widened above his mask, and he bowed in answer to the greeting.

"_Good evening, Kurosaki-sama. My name is Neyel Crosszeria. Do you wish to change the password?_"

"_Yes, please. Make it... White Emperor._"

"_Very well._"

The portrait swung open, and Ichigo walked in and looked around. They were in a large living room. The walls were painted in cream-colored tones, with wooden furnishings, and there was an empty fireplace on the far wall, right under a large window. Also, there were windows on either side of the room, which let the sunlight flood in, and he barely held in the shiver of please the gentle beams of light caused him. On either side of the fireplace was a wooden door, and he walked to the first one, only to discover that it led to a large bedroom with a king-sized bed, in tones of blue and cream, with two comfortable armchairs and a thick carpet. There was also a fireplace in there, and a door on the left led to a gigantic bathroom the likes of which he had never ever seen in his life. He didn't linger too much, though, and went back to the living room to explore the door on the left of the fireplace.

It led to a large library which also worked as a study, since it had a large desk and a comfortable armchair, along with bookshelves all around the walls. A window allowed the person working there to have the correct amount of light not to destroy their eyesight, and there were a couch and several armchairs by the fireplace, along with a small coffee table.

Walking back to the main room, the young man noticed the couch and chairs by the fireplace, and nodded in satisfaction. This was perfect.

He voiced his thoughts to Dumbledore, his tone never wavering from its usual evenness, and then followed the old man to the second floor, and the classroom he would be using. The man showed him his office and the general layout of the grounds -meaning that he showed him how to go to the Great Hall and his office, before they parted ways at the doors, and Ichigo left the castle, walking to the edge of the wards before apparating back to London.

He quickly made his way up to the room his sisters shared, and once the family was reunited, he told them about what he had seen and heard, before they all turned in. Tomorrow would be a long day, and since classes started right after that, they would have to be well-rested if they wanted to last until the end of term.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, so, what did you think?**  
><strong>There's a pretty purple button down there, click and comment? Pretty please? The author needs feeding^^!<strong>  
><strong>The following chapters will be longer.<br>I started writing a short French story a few weeks ago, and got tons of reviews basically telling me they wanted answers to the mysteries in the plot immediately. Let me tell you this right away: I don't work like that. To me, writing is about keeping the information, hinting at it and slowly revealing it in the most pleasurable way possible. So yes, there will be things you most likely won't understand, but everything will be explained with time. Of course, I am infaillible and might forget or overlook some things, write some incoherencies, thus why you are always welcome to ask your questions. But I am likely to tell you that the mystery will be solved in later chapters.**

**Anyway... Please Review!**

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><p><strong>05.05.2012: Ichigo is captain of the fifth division, not the fourteenth. The mistake has now been corrected (Thank you <em>Xandre<em>,_ Tenki-chan_!). **


	2. The British Wizarding World

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hello guys! Thanks so much to every one of you who reviewed, thank you! It helps me keep writing, you know...<br>Well, anyway, here's chapter 2, I hope you enjoy it! A long chapter: 9 pages on my computer!  
>Please review! The author needs feeding! <strong>

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><p><strong>Warnings are in the 1st chapter. <strong>

**Languages: **

_"Japanese_" or enhanced words, thoughts. Conversation between Japanese people will be in normal characters after chapter 5.  
>"English"<br>**Ichigo's Hollow (Shiro) speaking 'blabla' in thoughts, "blabla" when materialized**.  
>~Parseltongue~<p>

**Hmmm... I think I said it all...  
>Enjoy and review!<strong>_  
><em>

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span>

On the next morning, Ichigo woke up feeling a little refreshed. For once in his life, he had slept knowing that there was very little chance he would be attacked and killed in his sleep, and it had made it easier to finally get the rest he had been so desperately needing for a few months already.

They had set the alarm at nine since the shops in Diagon Alley would most likely not open before ten, and were ready to go by then. They checked out of the hotel, and walked to a secluded place, where Ichigo shrunk their things and put them in his pocket, before Apparating them to the Leaky Cauldron one after the other, eliciting stares once more.

Walking to the backyard as Dumbledore had told him to, he pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks in the required order -three up, two across- and watched as the bricks moved aside to form an archway.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." He said quietly and walked in.

The three others stood by his side as he assessed the surroundings, his father goofing around as Yuzu worried uselessly about Karin's hitting the goat. Ichigo sighed inwardly at the thought that he would most likely have to put up with the usual craziness for the whole day, and in front of the wizarding people.

"Come." He said. "We will go and get robes first."

They followed him to Madam Malkin's. The woman behind the counter looked up when they walked in and smiled, though it seemed a bit hesitant when she saw the mismatched eyes.

"Good morning. What can I do for you?"

"My sisters need Hogwarts robes. The whole set. Also, I would like a new wardrobe."

She nodded, and immediately set to work on the girls' measurements, while Ichigo looked through the clothes catalog. Once she was finished with the girls, she turned to him.

"I will have three sets of those" he pointed at a picture of fitting robes obviously made for combat and dueling "one in dark red, the two others in crimson-lined black. Then, I will have three sets of black robes" he pointed at another image "all in black. Put all the protective charms you have on them."

She nodded, scribbling furiously on a notepad, then looked up at him.

"That will be seventy-three galleons, fifteen sickles and ninety-four knuts. Do you want to come and fetch them, or should I owl them to you?"

"When can you have them ready?"

She thought for a second.

"Three hours?"

Ichigo nodded.

"I will come back and fetch them."

"Very well then."

They left, and then headed to Flourish and Blotts, where they spent quite a lot of time, perusing through the extensive collection of books to make sure the girls had all the books required on the list, before heading over to the apothecary. Isshin continued 'oowing' and 'aahing', with Karin berating him, hitting him from time to time, and Yuzu looking on and keeping them somewhat in line. Somehow, they still found the time to get awed at their surroundings, and Ichigo could only shake his head at the sight. Really, his family would never change.

Not that he would have them any other way, of course.

But that was something he would never, ever admit.

Seeing as they had everything they would need after buying their potions ingredients, they stopped at Quality Supplies for Quidditch, and came out a full half hour later, with two broom orders, and two sets of complete quidditch gear shrunk along with the rest of their supplies. Yuzu had never been a fan of flying, she had vertigo, and Isshin would of course never go on a broom, so it was up to Karin and Ichigo to fly, which they absolutely loved, though they had never really been able to practice due to their living in Karakura.

Finally, once they were all done, there still remained half an hour before they could get their robes, and so Ichigo took them Florian Fortescue's parlor. They stayed there until it was time to go, and when they were done at Madam Malkin's, went back to the Leaky Cauldron. Ichigo apparated them to The Three Broomsticks, and they settled down there to have lunch.

Then, at three in the afternoon, they started the trek to Hogwarts, Yuzu and Isshin never hiding their admiration at seeing the castle, while even Karin had to admit she was impressed. Ichigo led them to the Headmaster's office, and introduced them quickly, before having the old man lead them to Isshin's room, which he had incidentally forgotten to show him the day before.

They were indeed not far from Ichigo's, and could communicate with them, but the younger man made it so that he could only access his rooms in case of emergency. He really didn't need his father popping up at anytime he deemed good, and disturbing day and night. He liked his privacy, thank you very much.

The girls left their things in Ichigo's rooms for the time being, and then, the young man took his family for a tour of the school, or what he knew of it. The grounds were deserted since classes were still on, and they explored for a few hours, before going back to the Shihouin clan head's rooms and getting ready for the evening, Karin grumbling all the way that she couldn't wear pants instead of the ridiculously short skirt.

Ichigo took a shower as well, and put on black cargo pants with black dragon hide boots and a black, fitting short-sleeved turtleneck shirt which showed off his muscles, and black open robes over them, with a silver clasp. He looked at himself in the mirror, and nodded at himself in approval. He looked good.

Exiting the bathroom, he saw that everyone was ready, and walked over to his father.

"No fooling around. You are supposed to be helping Filch, the caretaker. Don't be stupid, and don't embarrass us. I'm serious here, dad."

The man nodded, and Ichigo turned around, not noticing the sad look Isshin was directing at him. Ichigo hadn't always been like that, he thought. But somewhere along the way, he had lost his only son. And the worst thing was that he couldn't remember when he had begun to change. When the war had started, maybe, or with Masaki's death. He didn't know. But he was still proud of what his son had become. A man of pride and honor. A strong warrior. And a man of heart.

o-O-o

The Great Hall was filled with chatter in this evening of the third day of classes. Strangely enough, nearly everybody was gathered for dinner, but the food had yet to appear on the students' plates, and they were starting to get restless when suddenly, Filch entered the Hall and whispered something to Dumbledore, before heading back out, while the old man stood up. The students immediately fell silent, curious as to what was going on, and weren't disappointed.

"I'm guessing you are all wondering why your plates are still so terrifyingly empty. Well, the answer is simple. Several people have arrived today, and I would like to introduce them to you. First, let us welcome Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, who will be joining us as fifth year students after transferring here from Japan. Please take care of them."

The doors swung open, and through them two girls walked in. They were around the same height, but it was the only thing they had in common except for their light gray eyes. One was slightly scowling, had black shoulder-length hair, and had a determined air about her, while the other one looked very soft and kind, while honey blonde hair also shoulder-length, and looked very nervous.

They walked up the middle aisle to the stage, and Karin sat down on the stool, where McGonagall set the Sorting Hat down on her head. The girl narrowed her eyes as she heard a voice in her head. She absolutely detested the thought of someone rummaging through her mind.

"_I apologize, but this is necessary if I want to sort you. Do not worry, however. Your secrets are safe with me, I cannot tell them to anyone._"

She relaxed ever so slightly.

"_So?_" She asked after a few seconds.

"_You are fiercely loyal, but only to some select people, you don't like to rush head first into unknown situations, and you are quite the cunning young lady... You also distance yourself from people so as not to be hurt... Mmm... Better be..._SLYTHERIN!"

The table on her left clapped, and she stood before heading over to them and sitting down in an empty space to watch her sister's sorting. Seeing Yuzu's nervous glance, she shot her a smile and nodded reassuringly, and the blonde girl smiled back and walked up to the stage.

She jumped at the voice in her head, her hands tightening on the edge of the stool, but quickly calmed down. The choice was quickly made.

"_You, my dear, are definitely material for _HUFFLEPUFF!"

She smiled softly as one of the tables in the middle cheered, and she went to sit with them, quietly accepting the greetings before looking at the Headmaster. It was now time for her father and brother to be introduced. Dumbledore stood once more.

"Now that we are done with the sorting, Mr Isshin Kurosaki will be Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts since our dear Hagrid has taken on the spot of Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Welcome!"

The students immediately made the connection between the two new students and the man who was walking in, though they looked nothing like him, with their slim silhouettes against his broad shoulders and stubble. The man flashed them all a grin as he walked up the Hall to the Head table and sat down by Hagrid. But there was still an empty spot by Snape. And they all knew it was the DADA teacher's seat.

"And finally, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has arrived, and will start teaching you all as of tomorrow. Please, welcome Mr Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Another Kurosaki. But this one was completely different.

Absolute silence fell as he walked in, and the students took him in.

The man was tall, towering at 6"2', and had hair a striking mix of crimson red, dark orange, black and silver, which was enhanced by the absolute darkness of the combat clothes he had on. His left eye glowed an eerie shade of golden the thin layer of eyeliner enhanced dramatically, while the other eye was a deep, swirling pool of black bordering on blood red. A red stripe went from above his brow to the top of his jaw, and a jagged scar ran across his nose from right beneath his left eye to the right corner of his lips. He had dagger earrings dangling from his earlobes, and a black choker with a silver-rimmed black cross dangling on his throat, while his wrists and forearms were encased in black leather protections. His robes billowed behind him as he walked in an effect eerily reminiscent of Professor Snape, who was watching the new arrival with, strangely enough, no sneer on his face. His gait, however, was that of a predator stalking closer to his prey, and they couldn't help the shiver at the feeling of pure _power_ around him.

Ichigo Kurosaki walked up to the Head table, and then to his seat, and sat down with a brief nod at them all.

"Well, now that we are done... Tuck in!"

Dumbledore's words snapped everyone out of their daze, and the students immediately turned to each other to discuss the new arrivals, but most of the conversations were focused around the new teacher. Of course, Karin and Yuzu were instantly drowned in questions.

"So," a red-haired girl said to Yuzu, "I'm Susan Bones, prefect of Hufflepuff. Welcome to our House."

"Thank you, Susan-san. I'm Kurosaki Yuzu."

The girl frowned.

"But isn't Kurosaki your last name?"

Yuzu blushed.

"Yes, but in Japan, we say the last name before our given one. I guess to you westerners, I would be Yuzu Kurosaki."

"Ah! Of course! So, Yuzu... I can call you Yuzu, right?" At the affirmative nod, she continued. "Are you related to the two new teachers?"

The blonde girl nodded, slightly uneasy at the fact that the whole table was shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Yes. Isshin is my father, and Ichi-nii is my brother."

Eyebrows shot up.

"Ichi-nii?"

She flushed again.

"_Nii-san_ means big brother in Japanese, and Karin and I changed it to a nickname for Ichigo."

Susan nodded.

"I see."

The conversation was going along the same lines at the Slytherin table, except that suddenly, Draco Malfoy, who had looked up at the Head table to get a better look at the new teacher, froze, and openly _gaped_. This obviously got the attention of the rest of the House, who wondered what in Heaven could have made the Ice Prince of Slytherin lose his composure, and when they followed his gaze, they could only stare.

For at the Head table, the new teacher and Snape, were looking at each other, forearms clasped in a fraternal embrace, and... _smiling_!

"What is it?" Karin asked when she saw their looks of utter disbelief.

Up at the Head table, the two men had let go, but were still talking, and their interaction was clearly gathering more and more attention, be it from the professors, who were openly staring, or the kids, who couldn't believe that they were seeing the terribly greasy git, the dungeons bat, who was known for his hatred of the DADA teachers, talking civilly with one, whose looks were more than strange.

"Snape is smiling." Draco whispered, feeling faint.

"Snape is talking to the new DADA teacher." Zabini added.

"Snape isn't sneering..." Parkinson concluded.

Karin looked at them, confused.

"Well, of course he's smiling. They've not seen each other for a long time, he's happy to see Ichi-nii again, that's all!"

She went back to her meal, but then, looked up at the utter silence.

"What?" She snapped.

Daphne Greengrass was the one to answer.

"You mean you know Professor Snape?"

She nodded. "Yes. He's the one who educated us."

"But I thought you transferred from Japan?"

She sighed. "We did." She said patiently. "But we were home-schooled. Snape-senseï was the one who taught us."

Understanding dawned.

o-O-o

At the Head table, Ichigo had turned to his meal, and noticed that the dishes were Japanese, which amused him to no end.

"So, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Snape drawled.

"I wanted to surprise you."

Severus rose an eyebrow.

"Really now? What about Lucius?"

"He doesn't know either, but I suspect he will soon." The young man glanced at the blonde boy talking to his sister.

"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy. He is Lucius' son."

"I thought so."

They ate in silence, ignoring the curious looks from their colleagues, who were obviously dying to ask how they knew each other.

"So, what happened in your life to bring about the... change?" The Potions Master asked after a moment.

Ichigo tensed slightly, which didn't go unnoticed, but answered none the less.

"Believe it or not, the hair color is natural." At Snape's raised eyebrow, he elaborated. "Let's just say that a lot of... magic use... caused this."

Onyx eyes searched his face intently, but he kept his eyes stubbornly on his plate as he ate.

"I see."

And truly he did. There were secrets there, secrets the younger man wouldn't talk about because they were too painful, secrets best left unsaid for their own safety. And if Ichigo deemed it safer not to talk about them, then he wouldn't push the issue. Because this young man was one of the very few people Severus Snape trusted with his life.

o-O-o

Dinner was coming to an end, and the students were standing up to leave. Karin followed Draco and his friends, whom she found out were two years her seniors, to the Slytherin dorms, while Yuzu stuck with her prefect, Susan Bones. Their stuff had already been sent up to their dorms, and they were happy to find that not a thing was out of place, and they had everything they needed, thanks to their brother.

The man, on the other hand, had left with Severus, and showed him to his rooms, where they had settled down for a nightcap of celebration. They didn't talk a lot: they had never been ones to speak to fill silence. They merely enjoyed each other's company, and the presence of another like them, of someone who had seen war and experienced the tearing of loss, the pain of helplessness, the raging chaos of a fight.

Severus knew nothing of the last seven years of Ichigo's life, true, but he could see it in the young man's eyes, in his gait, in his gear... His protégé had been at war, and, though he had obviously escaped with his life, lost the last pieces of his innocence. The optimistic boy he had once known had disappeared with his mother's death, but even after that, there had been a fire in his eyes, strong hazel eyes, which spoke of strength and faith. Now, however, he could only see cold determination and might in those mismatched orbs, gleaming with icy power and an aura of authority he had never seen there.

The teen had become an old man in seven years, and he couldn't even fathom how.

But he wouldn't push.

Ichigo would come to him when he felt it was safe, and he was ready.

So he said nothing, and just savored the taste of brandy on is tongue, as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass, and looked at the fire. And he knew, without even looking at Ichigo, that it was enough.

And that he was grateful.

o-O-o

On the next morning, when the kids entered the Great Hall for breakfast, the teachers were all there, except for Snape and Ichigo. The two men arrived together around thirty minutes into breakfast, talking quietly together, and as they passed by the Hufflepuff table, stopped at Yuzu's seat.

"_Good morning, Yuzu-chan. How have you been?_" Snape asked in perfect Japanese.

The girl looked up and smiled at him.

"_Snape-senseï! I'm well, thank you! How have you been? Have you been eating enough? You look very pale!_"

The man's lips slightly curled up.

"_I'm okay. I hope you didn't go easy on your studies._"

"_I didn't. Ichi-nii helped with my dueling and whenever I had trouble._"

The man's onyx eyes turned to the younger teacher, and he smirked at the way he stubbornly looked away.

"_I see. Well, I'll see you in Potions, then._"

"_Yes! See you later, Snape-senseï!_"

With a nod, he walked off to the Head table and sat down with a nod at Karin, who was sitting over at the Slytherin table. Ichigo looked at him for a second, before looking back down at his sister.

"_Slept well?_"

She nodded.

"_It was very comfortable, Ichi-nii. Thanks for keeping our stuff._"

The man waved the gratitude away. "_Please, it was nothing. You made friends yet?_"

She smiled. "_The prefect is nice, her name is Susan Bones. But the other girls in my dorm are nice to be around as well._"

"_Good. Did you get your schedule?_"

She shook her head.

"_No, but I looked at Kaitlin's, and I have Defense in fifth period._"

He nodded. "_I'll see you later, then. If you need something, don't hesitate and come find me._"

He swept past her and headed over to the Head table, where he ate a quick breakfast with Severus, then accompanied the man over to the Slytherin table to give her schedule to Karin.

"_Karin-chan. How are you?_"

She looked up at him with a predatory grin.

"_I'm good old man, how about you? Rheumatism yet?_"

"_Karin!_" Ichigo snapped, and she deflated, though barely.

"_Sorry, Snape-senseï. I'm good._"

The man shook his head, and handed over the schedule.

"_I'll make you pay for that in Potions. Be ready to face Hell on Earth._" He said with a smirk that promised pain. She gulped, while the Slytherins sitting around looked at each other in confusion. The Potions Master walked away with a nod at his students, and Ichigo looked at his sister with a scowl.

"_I already told you to stop that._"

"_Ah, come on, it's fun! And he knows I mean nothing by it_."

"_It doesn't make it any less hurtful. Severus hasn't had a quiet life, leave him alone with his age. You know as well as I do that he was never given the luxury of enjoying a peaceful youth._" He said, his tone harsher than he had wanted it to be, but it was the truth, and he detested the thought that his own sister could have hurt the Potions Master's feelings simply by being herself.

She slumped her shoulders in defeat under the burning gaze he was directing at her, bright orbs swirling with fury.

"_I'm sorry._"

"_You better be._ _I'll see you in class._"

And he left as well, under the stares of the students who wondered what the girl could have said to warrant such a tone from him. What was certain, though, was that he wasn't someone to be messed with.

o-O-o

At lunch, rumors were flying around about the new DADA teacher. The man, according to the first years Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, was strict, but nice, and fair. The third years Gryffindor and Slytherin, though, lost no time spreading around the fact that he was a devil directly come from Hell to destroy their lives and make them die of a heart attack. He took dozens of points shamelessly, and kept pairing Gryffindors with Slytherins.

The horror.

At the Gryffindor table, the Golden trio were discussing the man. They had Defense last period of the day, and were curious as to the reason of the contradicting rumors about him.

"Come on Hermione, the man's friends with _Snape_! How the hell could he be nice?" Ron was saying around a mouthful of food. The girl grimaced at the sight.

"We haven't even had Defense yet, Ronald, and stop talking with your mouth full, it's disgusting!"

The boy flushed, and swallowed, but argued nonetheless.

"Seriously, 'Mione, did you see how he looks?"

"Yes, I personally think he's gorgeous." She deadpanned.

This gathered the incredulous stares of her housemates, who looked at her like she had grown a second head. Ron choked, while Harry patted him in the back.

"You _what_? He's downright creepy!"

She sighed exasperatedly.

"You're a barbarian, Ronald Weasley, I hope you know that. And him being Snape's friend doesn't give us the right to judge him already. For all we know, they could be related!"

Dean snorted, and she rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, we have him last thing in the afternoon, so we'll see then." Harry concluded wisely.

And indeed they did.

The Defense classroom was completely different from what they were used to. There were no Dark Arts detectors, no magical creatures or portraits, but instead, a large painting showing a battle field, with corpses at the bottom, survivors standing very straight in the middle, a tight-knitted group looking around, though their faces couldn't be distinguished, and blood seeping into the ground. The sky was dark above them, stormy, and the warriors' weariness was clear at the way their shoulders were slumped. A group of people in white, again with their features blurred, was standing off to the side, looking at the main characters, and there was exhaustion in there too.

"This is beautiful." Hermione whispered, earning herself approving nods from her classmates, who were all subjugated by the painting, and standing there in respectful silence.

"Thank you, Miss, please take your seats."

They jumped at the voice, realizing that they hadn't ever heard him speak, except for the Slytherins who had heard him in the morning, when he had talked to his sister in Japanese. His English was fluent, cultivated, and his voice was a rich bass which sent shivers running down their spine. The students took their seats, and the man sat down on his desk, one leg dangling above the ground and the other firmly planted on the stone floor. Somehow, he managed to actually look very elegant while in this relaxed position.

"Good afternoon. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. You can call me Professor Kurosaki. Considering the fact that you're all in Seventh year, you have your NEWTs at the end of the year, and I'm sure that the other teachers have already given you the usual 'NEWTs-are-important-you-are-going-to-suffer' speech, so I won't be giving it once more, you wouldn't listen anyway."

He paused, waiting for the chuckles to die, before continuing, face still completely blank as his mismatched eyes looked over the class.

"I have no idea what you have learned for the past six years, and the Headmaster told me that your teachers have been somewhat... lacking. If someone could tell me what you have already been taught..." Hermione's hand shot up in the air, and his lips twitched in amusement. "Yes, Miss...?"

"Granger, sir. Hermione Granger."

"Miss Granger?"

She launched into an explanation of everything they had seen since first year, and he listened to her attentively, before nodding once.

"I see. And you never took a course of physical combat or dueling, then?"

"No sir."

"That is no good. You just got out of a war, right?"

They stared at him like he was stupid. Didn't he know about the war?

"Don't look at me like that." He said dryly. "I am from Japan, and I can assure you, we had our own problems, and your war was the last thing we cared about."

Indignation rose through the students, but they didn't dare say anything, and kept silent as his enigmatic gaze swept over them.

"Mr Malfoy, tell me about the war, will you?"

The blonde started, but complied. "The Dark Lord wanted the eradication of all Mudbloods and Muggles. His followers were named Death Eaters."

"You should know." Ron muttered, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Malfoy glared at him.

"What did you say, Weasel?"

"I said you're a Death Eater, ferret-face!"

Malfoy opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off.

"_Silence_!" Ichigo barked.

They quieted down immediately, and he looked at them in disbelief. He couldn't believe it. How the hell could they be so divided, even amongst survivors of the war? This was... he couldn't even find the war to describe how appalled he felt.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, and fifty from Slytherin."

Outraged shouts echoed, but then, he shut them up with a single question.

"Would you like me to double it? No? Thought so. Now, Mr Malfoy, please go on."

"Yes sir. Headmaster Dumbledore had created the Order of the Phoenix to fight against the Dark Lord and his followers. Two months ago, at the Final Battle, Potter defeated Him, and the war ended. "

Silence.

"I see. I suppose most of you took part in the fights, correct?" Nods. "Very well. Tell me, did you ever fight with something other than your wand?" They shook their head. "And in a several on one duel?" Again, they shook their head, and he nodded. "That is why we will do some muggle fighting training."

"WHAT?"

He let them rant and rave all they wanted, completely tuning them out, and let his gaze wander over to the window.

Hermione watched as most of the class yelled at the teacher in protest. He didn't say anything, didn't even look at them, and that's when she noticed that he seemed to be very far away, his eyes lost in nowhere, looking through the window, before his gaze slid over to the gigantic painting on the wall, and his lips pursed in a bitter smile as his eyes darkened. Finally, though, the furious students shut up and looked up at him expectantly, but he still ignored them and kept staring out the window for a few minutes more.

Seconds ticked by in silence, and you could feel the anxiety growing in the classroom, before right as Ron opened his mouth to address him, he turned to them.

"Are you quite finished?" He didn't wait for them to answer, and continued. "That will be detention for the entire class, and fifty more points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor."

His tone was perfectly even, calm and emotionless, and it was most likely what warned them that protesting now would be a grave mistake.

"You may think that because I am young and a foreigner, I will let you disrespect me, but you are sadly mistaken. In the end, you are the ones taking your NEWTs, not me. I have them, and many more qualifications, I had the honor of having an excellent teacher, and I am a fully trained wizard and fighter. Muggle Defense and fitness are mandatory if you want to survive in a long fight. Believe me, compared to war in Japan, your little one on one duels were _nothing_."

Harry opened his mouth, scandalized, but Ichigo rose a hand to stop him from blurting out what he thought about the teacher's words.

"I'm not undermining the hardships I'm sure you went through during the war, or the deaths that occurred during the war. I am just saying, that while you survived this with your level of training, I can assure you that none of you would have been standing by the time the first battle had ended in Japan."

Of course, he was talking about the Winter War, but they couldn't have known that, and what's more, what he was saying was completely true: Japanese wizards, though rare, usually fought in groups, and it was a general fight with all on one. If you couldn't hold your own for several hours -days even!- on end, lacked physical training or let your guard down for a single second, you were dead the next second. It was as simple as that.

"Your deaths were all pretty clean. A quick Killing Curse, and the person was dead, no pain of any kind." His gaze hardened. "In Japan, you would have fought to the bitter end, with muggle weapons on top of curses and spells, and I have seen people who kept fighting even though they had a gaping hole in their stomach."

He paused. He knew they didn't really believe him, but he didn't care.

"Whether you like it or not, you will undergo muggle training, or you will have to study your NEWTs and guess the syllabus by yourself, it's as simple as that."

It was blackmail, and he was pretty sure he would never be able to do that without the Headmaster jumping at his throat, but he was quite certain they would believe him if he put the right amount of seriousness behind the threat. As anticipated, gasps echoed around the room as they stared at him, gaping, their eyes comically wide. In the back of his mind, Shiro snickered.

"You can't do that!" The red-haired boy, Weasley, blurted out. The girl sitting next to him, Hermione Granger, looked horrified at the prospect of not having Defense class for the remainder of the year.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the boy and concentrated a tiny amount of reiatsu into it, knowing that it made the golden eye burn and swirl in the most terrifying way.

"Watch me." He said lowly.

The boy gulped, and his neighbor elbowed him in the gut. Ichigo smirked inwardly, as Shiro burst out cackling gleefully.

"I thought so. So, about your detention. I want all of you at the Quidditch Pitch each Friday evening starting this week for your first sessions of muggle training. Come properly dressed: sweat pants, sweaters, t-shirts, sneakers and the likes. Also, for next time, I want a complete list of all the spells you know. And when I mean all of them, I mean _all of them_. Have a nice week."

They rose, groaning loudly, and exited the class like the devil was chasing them.

Behind them, Ichigo smirked.

* * *

><p><strong>Haha, here comes evil Ichigo! Someone asked me about Ichigo's mismatched eyes: it will be explained later, promise!<br>**


	3. Gothic Git

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Tell you what? I feel lazy today^^! My mother coerced me into gardening, and while it took my mind off things, well... it's tired me out. So, well... you read the warnings and all that in the first chapters, huh?<br>Anyway...I wanted to thank everybody who reviewed... I usually answer reviewers, but the review-reply feature of the site is down -then again, we can't complain, since the search engine finally works! So, sorry, it wasn't me snubbing you^^! **

**Warnings are in the first chapter.  
><strong>

**Here comes chapter three... I'm still French and haven't proofread myself, so tell me if you see monstruosities -be it in spelling or grammar, and I'll try to correct them!  
>Enjoy... and review?<br>**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

"You look smug. Outrageously so." Snape commented between two mouthfuls of vanilla cream. "Is it linked to the reason why a hundred points were suddenly taken off from both Gryffindor and Slytherin?"

The other teachers leaned in to listen to the conversation, and waited with bated breath as the young DADA Professor bade his time to answer, savoring his dessert and calmly putting his spoon down on the table.

"Well, I _did_ have Gryffindor and Slytherin Seventh years last period."

He paused, enjoying the torture he was making them go through, then smirked maniacally.

"They all have detention with me for the next three months. Every week. I'm going to make them _sweat_."

He cackled inwardly at the stunned expression on their faces, especially Minerva McGonagall, who looked like she had just choked on a sour lemon.

"And what, pray tell, did they do to warrant such a punishment?" She asked in a clipped tone which clearly expressed her disapproval.

Ichigo smiled charmingly, but his eyes remained cold and unblinking.

"Why, they disrespected me, dear colleague. They proved to be in need of a serious... attitude adjustment. I felt that if nobody here was going to do it, then I would."

She stiffened at the tone.

"Surely, they didn't do anything so drastic that it would require three months worth of detention and a hundred points per House..."

Ichigo's eyes hardened.

"Minerva, the House rivalry is childish, and pathetic, and outdated. You'd think that after you all fought side by side against the main enemy, you would have overgrown that appalling state of mind, but seeing at it isn't so, then I will tear it off those children's mindset while it is possible to redress it. I will use whatever means necessary to do it, but if they refuse to change attitudes, then I promise you they will lose far more than a couple points and get detention. I'll put them in the negative if I have to. Now if you will excuse me..." He stood up. "_Good night, Severus_." He said the last bit in Japanese, with a nod, and the Potions Master nodded back with a smirk.

The young man swept down the aisle, ignoring the looks he earned himself. He felt a little better now.

o-O-o

There was a knock at his door, and Ichigo unlocked it with a flick of his wrist. He heard footsteps in the entrance hallway, but didn't bother looking up from his book. He had settled in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace right after dinner, one leg dangling over the armrest and the other laid over the closest fire-dog. It was at times like this that he felt truly at peace, though right now, he could keenly feel the absence of someone he used to enjoy long, quiet evenings with, silent evenings they merely used to spend basking in the company of the other.

The footsteps stopped at the entrance of the room, but he still didn't look up.

"You really like that book, don't you?"

He sighed inwardly, and finally glanced up, closing the book after having carefully marked the page. _The Time Master_ trilogy, by Louise Cooper. It was a recent work of pure fantasy, nothing scholar, but he liked it anyway. The main character was, in more ways than one, very similar to him. He gently laid the book on the coffee table, and gestured for his father to sit, which the man did.

"Brandy?"

"_Sake_, if you have some."

Ichigo nodded, filled a cup with the clear liquid, and handed it to Isshin.

"Thanks, son."

Ichigo poured himself a glass of brandy, and took a sip of the alcohol, before looking at the fire, twirling the amber drink in the glass mindlessly.

"What is it?" He asked.

Isshin shot him a not-so-surprised-anymore look. After all these years, he knew what to expect from his son, despite -or maybe because of the change that had so completely altered his character during the last few years.

"I heard what you said at dinner."

Ichigo nodded, and took another sip of brandy. It burned his tongue, and he let his eyelids droop until his eyes were half-lidded in pleasure. The young man, Isshin thought as he observed him, glazing absently at the fire, his long lashes almost brushing the flawless skin of his high cheekbones, the firelight outlining his striking hair, looked magnificent and otherworldly. Of course he was his father, and therefore more than a little biased, but still... he knew of at least a dozen people who thought like him. And he knew of the unconditional admiration his son had earned himself from the large majority of Seireitei.

"Are you really going to do what you said?"

The young Clan Head looked at him for a fleeting second, before going back to the flickering flames.

"Yes. As I said earlier, this rivalry is childish and pathetic. They need to get over it, or it will be their downfall."

The dark-haired ex-Shinigami smiled.

"You've grown so much..." He whispered.

Ichigo grunted in answer.

"It won't be easy. You will most likely be the most hated teacher by the end of the first month of class."

The hybrid shrugged.

"What do I care? It will only be difficult with the upper years anyway. The first and second years are too young to have truly been marked by the war, and the third years, though they might be a little more difficult, will quickly relent. As to the fourth to seventh years, they can pass their exams without my help."

Isshin shot him a sharp glance.

"You were serious about it, then? The rumor has been running around, but I thought it was only bluff."

Ichigo smirked briefly, in a way eerily reminiscent of Severus. Isshin held back a shiver

"Well, it was at first, but then I thought I do have a mission and paperwork to do at the same time, so if I can spare some time, then I will. What's more, as I told them, they're working for themselves, not for me. I could care less whether they pass or not."

He drained his glass quickly, and stood up, while his father chuckled.

"Well, I look forward to seeing the results of your method. It promises entertainment."

Father and son shared a conniving smirk.

"They're going into muggle training during detentions. That's why I think they will actually last the whole year."

Isshin laughed outright and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Of course, son, we can't have them disrespect a teacher, now can we?"

They moved to the door, and the portrait swung open. Isshin stepped out, still chuckling to himself.

"Goodnight son."

"Goodnight."

And then they parted ways. Ichigo quickly changed into his pajamas, then snuggled under the warm blankets and stared at the ceiling for some time before finally allowing sleep to claim him.

_Goodnight, Byakushi._

o-O-o

Ichigo started going on with his plan on the next day. Whenever he heard an insult such as 'slimy Slytherin' or 'Gryffindork', he took points, and gave a detention to the students involved whenever the argument was too violent for his taste, or if it had degenerated to a duel. That's how he found himself with a good forty students more for the scheduled detentions of every Friday evening. McGonagall had tried to call them off and oppose him, but he had been quick to brush her away, and since he had Severus' support, well, let's say that it wasn't easy to catch him anyway.

The Headmaster didn't say anything, but contented himself with merely sitting back and enjoying the show, which the young Shinigami felt only too inclined to give him.

Severus felt compelled to tell him that in less than two full days of teaching, he had managed to crack the record of the most detentions given out to students, along with that of the most points taken from the whole of the four Houses.

The students who had been nearby when they had had this conversation had glared, and the two teachers had merely smirked at each other. God, this felt good. And thirty-six hours after his arrival, Ichigo had already been nicknamed 'The Gothic Git'. The name had actually earned such a predatory smirk from him, that everybody around, except for the Potions Master, had inched away from him.

On Friday evening, right after dinner, Ichigo got to enjoy his second evening as a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry overseeing the detention of around seventy students. Snape had graciously accepted the offer to come and enjoy the show, and when they arrived at the Quidditch Pitch to meet the students, they were pleased to see that they tensed and grumbled under their breath, glowering at them.

Ichigo inwardly rolled his eyes at seeing that they had separated between two groups. The Slytherins on one side... and the others on the other.

"Pathetic." He deadpanned as he got closer.

"My father will hear of this!" Malfoy stated, arms crossed over his chest.

Ichigo chuckled darkly.

"Oh, by all means, write him about the terrible new teacher, and precise my name. Make sure you get it right, yes? It's Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm sure he will be so incensed he will do everything he can to... get me to see the error of my ways."

And then, something happened, something they never thought they would ever see one day, something so incredible that there was a thud as Neville Longbottom dropped down to the ground in a dead faint.

Severus Snape laughed out loud. And strangely enough, it was a very pleasant sound, rich, silky, smooth, cultivated, a deep, heartfelt, humorous laughter, and they couldn't help but stare in bewilderment.

Ichigo's gaze softened ever so slightly as he savored the sound of his mentor and friend's laugh, it was so unusual, so rare, so precious, that he could do nothing but try and engrave this instant in his memory to remember it forever with crystal clarity. Contentment swelled in his chest at the thought that he had made Severus, who deserved happiness so much, amused enough that he would give up all pretenses and laugh genuinely like this, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head at his friend's antics. A glance at the students was enough to almost send him into fits of hysterical laughter as well, but as it was, his merely let the corner of his lips twitch in amusement.

After a few seconds, the dark man calmed down enough to control himself and gather his composure a little, and address Draco.

"Yes, please, Draco, write your father. I am most... eager to see his reaction."

The students looked at each other, confused by the two men's antics, but didn't say anything as they regained their seriousness, and gazed at them sternly.

"Well," Ichigo said, "since you think you are so superior and don't need any muggle training, you will start by running three laps around the lake. Together. If I see any foul play, it will end very badly for the people involved. It is about time you grew up and started thinking for yourselves, meaning that you have to understand that not everything is black and white. Now go."

"We really are going to run?" Pansy Parkinson shrieked.

He rose an eyebrow at her, noticing the clothes she had, and which would be fit for a party, certainly not for sports. Unsurprisingly, more than half the students hadn't followed his instructions regarding the way they would have to be clothed, and had come in casual attire, but nothing fit for training. Hermione Granger, though, he noticed, had managed to force Potter and Weasley into something appropriate, and several Slytherins were ready as well. Among them, Draco Malfoy.

"Yes, Ms Parkinson, you are. And remember I _did_ tell you what to wear for your detention. Since you didn't deem it necessary to follow the teacher's advice, then you will have to suffer in silence. Now off you go. I expect you all to be back in thirty minutes, seeing as you are all so fit and all that."

"Thirty minutes?" Weasley yelled. "You're mad, nobody could do that!"

Granger elbowed him in the gut, but it wasn't enough to tame him, and he kept glaring hotly at him, like most of the students there. Potter, he noted idly, was one of the few who was just watching from the sidelines. The boy wasn't as stupid as he wanted to look.

"As a matter of fact, Mr Weasley, I could do this in fifteen minutes. I gave you double the time I would take to do this. And as a proof, I'll run with you. Professor Snape will see to it that you do not linger behind. I'll even give you a head start."

He shrugged off his cloak and handed it to Severus, who took it and folded it neatly over his arm. Under it, he was wearing no outer robes, only the black cargo pants, dragon hide boots, and the short-sleeved, fitting high-collared shirt which showed off his toned body nicely.

"_Show off_." Snape growled from behind, and Ichigo smirked at him over his shoulder.

"_Yeah, I know, I'm handsome_." The man scowled, but there was amusement dancing in the depths of those onyx orbs.

"Begin!"

Instantly, the students started running, dragging themselves around the lake. They heard Snape give the signal for the DADA teacher to go after they had finished the first lap, meaning ten minutes later. Glancing back, they could see the Professor start running, and they sped up a little, confident that he would never catch up to them with that much of a distance between them.

Ichigo started running at Severus' signal, and instantly immersed in the rhythmic thud of his feet pounding on the ground. He lost himself in the soft, repeated sound, one-two, one-two, one-two, focusing on his feet, his breathing, the deep sound of the air navigating through his lungs and then leaving his mouth in gentle breaths, the ruffling of the fresh autumnal breeze in his air and its caress on his bare arms and face...

He could see the group of students coming closer, a distance away from him, but he was closing the gap, leisurely, effortlessly, and suddenly, here they were, gaping at him as he caught up to them, not breaking a sweat, and then ran past them, leaving them to eat his dust as he continued jogging in long, powerful strides, uncaring of their comments and stupefaction.

Ten minutes later, he was finished, and they were still at the beginning of the second half of their second lap. He shook his head, completely unsurprised, and walked over to Severus, stretching his arms as he did so. The obsidian eyes were gleaming in satisfaction and pride, and he shot his mentor a rare smile.

"Hi. Missed me?"

The man rose an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, very much, it has been so long!" He said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Ichigo smirked and stretched some more, before he went to stand by Severus' side to watch the students start their third lap, sweating, panting and cursing. He, however, wasn't out of breath in the slightest, and hadn't sweated a drop. This was so disappointing it wasn't even funny.

Sighing softly, he rested his chin over his knees, arms circling his legs, and closed his eyes.

"_Kami_, I'll never see the end of this."

He didn't need to look to feel Snape's smirk.

Finally, the students were back, completely exhausted, sweat running down their faces and soaking their shirts, moaning and complaining and dragging their feet. Ichigo wanted to off himself right there and then.

"My, what a disgraceful sight." He drawled in a perfect imitation of Snape. "I have to say how impressed I am by your endurance and speed, you deserve a standing ovation, bravo!" He clapped, sarcasm dripping from every word like acid.

Several of the students had turned a nice shade of dark purple by now, and he smirked.

"Now, my dears, you will do fifty pushups, and fifty situps. Seeing as I don't plan on spending the night here, it would be most kind of you to start now."

He started to lay down on the ground, arms crossed behind his head, while Severus sat beside him.

"Freaky git."

He didn't have to look to know who it was.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for insulting a teacher, Weasley." He said nonchalantly, and smirked at Severus at the muffled exclamation that no doubt came from Ms Granger's elbowing the brat in the guts, and none too gently so.

"My," he whispered, "what a beautiful night."

Beside him, Snape nodded silently as they stared up at the starry sky.

And truly, beautiful it was.

o-O-o

When the "Gothic Git" finally let them go, it was past midnight, and they so utterly exhausted they had trouble dragging themselves back up to the castle. Snape had stayed with the man, sitting on the grass and looking up at the stars in so casual a fashion that it had been horrifyingly disturbing to see the "Greasy Git" actually do anything remotely common. Kurosaki, on the other hand, had just laid on his back and stared up, though that didn't prevent him from giving out orders, and calling on whoever cheated on his demands. They had thought it would never end.

Now, both Professors were escorting them back to Hogwarts, and their alert demeanor was past infuriating. They completely ignored the glowering, seething students, and merely walked in powerful strides, not waiting for them, and thus forcing them to actually go at an extremely fast pace they couldn't believe their poor legs could endure.

The doors opened before them, revealing the illuminated Entrance Hall, and they couldn't repress a sigh of relief before scrambling to their dorms without a word to the teacher.

Except that _he_ hadn't forgotten about _them_.

"Well, see you next week for an encore!" He called out to them.

The glee he didn't even bother to conceal made them grit their teeth in rage. At the moment, they really hated the man. And then, to top it all, they heard Snape's low chuckle, followed by an invitation to a nightcap.

Brilliant.

"Greasy Git" and "Gothic Git" were drinking buddies. Couldn't life get any better?

o-O-o

On the next morning, the teachers and students who hadn't yet been told of the unsusual detention were quite puzzled to see seventy of their classmates limp into the Great Hall for breakfast, nursing their sore muscles and groaning every now and then. They felt like shit.

And the sight of a perfectly fine Professor Kurosaki smirking and talking with Professor Snape at the Head table did nothing to help. In a surprising show of unity, all punished students from the four Houses wanted to strangle the git and chop him into pieces. Slowly and painfully. And of course, some of them were writing their parents.

_Father, _

_I hope you are well. I would love to say I am, too, but I must admit that I have been better. We have yet another new Defense Professor, who absolutely insists on having train the Muggle way! He actually gave us a year worth of detentions every Friday evening, and solely focused on that ridiculous idea of his. _

_Yesterday evening was the first one, and it wasn't pretty, believe me, father: we had to run and sweat like pigs, and then do stupid useless exercises which left all of us in a terrible shape. _

_I dearly hope you will do something about this intolerable situation, father. Clearly, Dumbledore's touch is getting poorer and poorer each year, and this muggle-lover is so magically weak that he has to resort to muggle methods to shine. _

_Awaiting your answer, _

_Yours respectfully, _

_Draco Malfoy_

Draco put down his quill and folded the parchment, then sealed it, and handed it to the owl which had just brought him treats from his mother. The bird took it in its beak, and took off. The Slytherin smirked to himself. The man wouldn't what hit him.

And once his father was finished with him, there would barely be enough left of him to fill a spoon.

At the Head table, Snape leaned towards his neighbor, and whispered what he had just seen in the younger man's ear. They shared a knowing look, and smirked identically.

This would be infinitely amusing.

o-O-o

Karin sighed for the hundredth time in an hour. She was sitting outside, in a patch of grass flooded by the sunlight, and basking in the warmth it gave her, as she tried to complete her Potions assignment with a couple of other Slytherins.

Blending in hadn't been as difficult as she had thought it would be. Her dry humor and sarcasm seemed to please the English students, and they had welcomed her with open arms. According to them, as Slytherins and outcasts from the other Houses, they had to stick together and show a united front. She liked their logic, and went on with the flow. She was at ease with them anyway. Their quick retorts and high intelligence made for thrilling battles of wit, and she loved the way they never pried into her life, but accepted that she had secrets she wasn't about to tell them, without ever comparing her to her brother, sister or father.

In Slytherin, she was Kurosaki Karin, and no one else.

And she loved it.

Looking up at the Slytherins working with her, she saw their own desperation as they gazed helplessly at the subject, and sighed. Goodness gracious, they would never finish this.

A shadow fell over her.

"Need help?"

The Slytherins jumped at his appearance, none of them having heard him approach, and looked up at him, startled that he would offer his assistance.

She scowled at him.

"You're hiding the sun."

He shrugged, but moved slightly to the side anyway.

"So, do you need help? You look ready to commit murder."

Her scowl deepened, but she handed him the parchment.

"Potions." She groaned. "I bet it was revenge."

"For what you said the other day?" He said without looking up. "It most certainly is. But I will help you if you ask nicely."

She glared and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away.

"No way in hell."

"Well, I guess you'll all have a T, then." He started to turn away, but then, she chanced a glance at her classmates, saw the glares they were leveling at her, and caved in.

"Okay, okay! Please, would you help us, _Ichi-nii_?"

He turned around, and she repressed the urge to strangle him when she saw the smug smirk on his face. She _so_ wanted to kill him right now! But she couldn't. Not now, at least. Loath as the was to admit it, she _did_ need his help for her Potions assignment. After that, however... She inwardly cackled in glee, but quickly shut up when he ruffled her hair. The affectionate gesture effectively making her breath catch in her throat.

It had been so long...

"See? It wasn't that difficult, now was it? Now let me see." He said softly.

He sat down next to her, and read the subject once more, before nodding.

"Well, it's quite easy, actually. Think about it this way..."

Fifty minutes later, he stood and walked away, leaving a group of dazed Slytherins staring at his back in awe, certain they would have the best mark of their life, and the praise of their Head of House. God, but the new teacher was a bloody genius! He knew everything, answered every question in depth, and could see every angle of the problem. He told them all they would need and more, while still making them think about the problem so that they wouldn't merely be consuming what he was saying passively, and would understand the issues raised by the subject.

They looked at Karin, who was scribbling on her parchment, her forehead wrinkled in concentration. To think that she was the sister of such a knowledgeable man... Now they only had to see if he was as competent in Defense and Practical dueling as he was in theory. Looking at his powerful strides as he walked away, though, they had a feeling that he was.

The girl, however, was completely focused on her essay, and they didn't dare disturb her. They might not have known her for a long time, but two days had been enough to learn that she had a mean right hook, and didn't like being disturbed when she worked. So they carefully kept their mouth shut, and waited for a more appropriate occasion.

Blissfully unaware of the questions raging through her classmates' brain, Karin scowled at her paper. She had stopped calling Ichigo _Ichi-nii_ when she had turned thirteen. At the time, she thought it was too childish. But deep down, she still missed it, as much as he did, and she enjoyed it when he blackmailed her into calling him by that nickname again. Though she would never ever admit it out loud, she knew her not using it anymore had been the result of something deep, a fracture deep within her brother, which had changed him to the point that he wasn't the same person she had called _Ichi-nii_ for the thirteen first years of her life.

_Ichi-nii_ had been a reckless, brash young man, filled with fire and the desire to protect his friends, even at the cost of his own life. _Ichi-nii_ rushed head first, fought first, and asked questions later. He resorted to force to make things go the way he wanted.

Ichigo, however, though he still fought for his friends and wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice himself if it could save his loved ones, had become dark and silent. He didn't smile, he smirked. The usual scowl had been wiped off his face and replaced by a blank mask of emotionlessness. She could never know what he was thinking or feeling, and she hated it. Ichigo thought and calculated before going into battle, he planned and organized, and had proven to be an extraordinary strategist. Ichigo was a seasoned warrior, scarred and strong, powerful and sometimes even cruel, though he had gone to great lengths never to let his family see him in that state when he released the true extent of his abilities.

But she could feel it anyway.

_Ichi-nii_ may not be dead, but he was buried so deeply within Ichigo, that he would never ever come back up again. He was as good as destroyed, and would never resurface, of that she was sure.

The war had cost her her brother, and she still mourned him. Yet, she knew she could hardly complain. He had changed, yes, but everybody had to grow up one day or another, and her brother was still physically present, and hell bent on protecting her, her sister and all of his loved ones.

In a sense, he was still her big brother.

And on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel like she was now related to a complete stranger.

She hated it. She hated the way he hid his true self from them, the way he left for battle in the middle of the night, sometimes for days on end, and came back as if nothing had happened, the only proof that he had been gone the increased number of horrific scars littering his body.

And she mourned for his lost childhood.

For his shattered innocence.

o-O-o

The weekend was over as soon as it had come, and the Slytherin-Gryffindor fifth years handed over their Potions assignment. Karin's group was confident they would get full marks, first because they were Slytherins, and second, because they had had help from the DADA teacher, who obviously knew what he was talking about.

The essay incident had put Karin at an all time high in her Slytherin yearmates' esteem, and they had quickly understood that it was best to be in good terms with her, not only because of her mean temper, but also because it was the best way to get tips from her genius of a brother whenever they were in an academic pitch. They didn't know if he was as good in other subjects as he was in Potions, but they had no qualms about trying and assessing his level.

Two weeks after the arrival of the new teacher and his family, they were in Potions class, and Snape was obviously about to give back their essays, seeing as he had just dumped a rather thick pile of parchment on his desk. Standing very tall at the front of the classroom, he let his enigmatic gaze wash over them, before finally speaking.

"I would like to know exactly how many of you actually got help from Professor Kurosaki for this assignment." He said at last.

Silence. And then, Karin rose her hand, immediately followed by the majority of the Slytherins, and several Gryffindors, while those who hadn't known about the unexpected source stared in disbelief.

"I see." He paused, dark eyes revealing nothing. "You have full marks, of course, seeing as he obviously made it so that you would put a large part of yourselves in there and thought about the subject rather than just writing down the information he gave you."

And just like that, he gave back the essays and said nothing more on that topic. Of course, by the end of lunch period, the whole school was aware that asking Professor Kurosaki tips for Potions assignments would be overlooked and would get them full marks, and most likely a better understanding of the problems they were met with.

"I see you haven't lost your touch in Potions." Severus commented as he sat down for lunch.

Ichigo shrugged lightly.

"Karin was in a pinch. I just helped her out a bit."

"And of course, you felt obligated to help half the Gryffindor fifth years and most of the Slytherins as well..."

The younger man didn't answer.

"Well," Snape sighed, "at least I didn't have to read sixty pages of rubbish. I suppose I should thank you."

Ichigo merely smirked at him, and went back to his meal. The dark-haired man discreetly observed him for one more minute, before following his example and quietly finishing eating. He already knew that he would get revenge enough when the students would start smothering his friend with requests for help with their assignments. And he had a feeling, seeing the way they kept glancing at him, that it wouldn't be long before his competences in each and every subject taught at Hogwarts would be tested thoroughly.

And for some reason, he was quite certain that Ichigo was aware of this, but wouldn't do anything to stop it. Really, the young man was odd. But it was the way he was, and Severus knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay... End chapter 3. So, what did you think? Ichigo rules. Yay! <strong>

**And good news! My end of year exams are over! Meaning no school until September! *Victory dance***

**Reviews keep the author well-fed and healthy enough to write the following chapters^^!  
><strong>


	4. Flying and Lucius

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>It's update-day! Three stories updated at once, cheers! And a cookie for me!<strong>

**... Sadly enough, it seems that I have nothing interesting to say today^^! Apart from 'thank you' to all the people who reviewed and favorited my story^^!  
>Enjoy chapter 4! <strong>

**Warnings are still in the 1st chapter.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4:<span>

_Draco, _

_I shall come soon to Hogwarts to have a talk with the Headmaster about this. Expect my presence for no later than next week. _

_Keep me updated on the situation, and if anything that mean orders you to do seems truly dangerous, do not hesitate to resist, _

_Your father, _

_Lucius Malfoy_

Draco smirked when he read the short missive, and handed it over to Blaise, who then passed it down the table for all Slytherin students to see. Karin wasn't here, thankfully, for it would have been delicate to rejoice about the future firing of her brother in her presence. Especially when said brother had helped the fifth years in Potions.

"It seems Lucius has answered Draco." Severus, who had been observing his snakes ever since he had seen the Malfoy's owl enter the Hall, drawled.

The teachers tensed, and Ichigo nodded, quietly chewing on a mouthful of toast. He didn't comment though, and ignored the worried looks the rest of the staff were sending him. Lucius Malfoy was known for his icy demeanor and dislike of anything muggle, and he had the money and political influence needed to have most everyone bend to his will. He also knew perfectly well how to charm people, thanks to his looks and talent in anything remotely close to manipulation, something which actually played a huge part in sparing him another stay in Azkaban, life-long, this time, after the Dark Lord's fall.

But then again, both Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore had spoken up for him at his trial, and Harry Potter's support had been a great asset for him as well. The DADA teacher, as a foreigner, knew nothing about Lucius' status and personality, and therefore seemed very calm about the whole issue, but his colleagues did not feel as confident as he did. Actually, it was quite the contrary, and there were bets running that he would be out of the castle by the end of the next week, and banned from ever returning by the Board of Governors, which it was well-known that Lucius had wrapped around his finger.

On the other hand, those who were a little more observant believed that the man could take care on himself, and Lucius would be the one to back down after a confrontation filled with sarcasm and subtle insults. The mere fact that the new Professor was able to gain Snape's friendship was enough to tell them how Slytherin he was, and his whole demeanor screamed of control and cunning. The new teacher was enigmatic and a mystery to all, and his father had outright refused to give away any sort of information on him, saying that they would have to discover what they wanted to know by themselves, because he wasn't about to betray his son by spilling his life story to just anyone who asked.

Of course, he was right.

But it didn't make it any easier.

o-O-o

Days passed by, and Yuzu couldn't help but feel at home. Her housemates were very kind to her, always eager to listen to stories about Japan and her friends, and the culture in there. The upper years never minded helping her when she had trouble with something, be it homework or navigating the castle, and she found that once you were used to it, the House system actually made it easier for the students to feel like they had a new family, and that they weren't alone.

Classes were interesting, and she took notes diligently, topping her class quite effortlessly. This had made the admiration of her classmates, but she had brushed it off by explaining how her brother had tutored her at home, and seeing as he had seven years worth of knowledge on her, well, she had picked up a lot from him.

She also loved his classes, and enjoyed the proximity this forced vacation gave her with her brother. Since the war had begun and he had got involved with the Soul Society, Ichigo had changed. Of course, he cared for them just as much if not more than before, but he was home less than he used to, and was hurt often, though he never showed it.

And it pained her.

It pained her to know that her _Ichi-nii_ got hurt protecting her and the rest of his friends, that he hid his suffering from her, and insisted on shouldering the burden by himself, never sharing it with anyone because he felt that they should never have to know about such things.

She believed that he should share his worries and his pain, talk about the war, and most of all, let her nurse his wounds and feed him back to health. She loved him dearly, and she knew he was strong, he had always been, but she feared that one day, she would lose him definitely. He might be extremely powerful -not that he bragged about it, but she had heard enough conversations between his Shinigami friends to know that he had above average power, but he was not invincible, and she was perfectly aware that had it not been for Inoue-san, she would most likely be brotherless by now.

And for this, she would be eternally grateful to the russet-haired, twenty-two year old woman whose high spirits and cheerfulness meant so much to everyone around her.

Sitting at her desk, she let her gaze wander over to the window, and the clear blue sky. Winter was quickly approaching, and with it, cold days, but she didn't care. She was under the same sky as her brother, she breathed the same air he did, and that all that mattered.

As long as her family was safe, then all was well.

With a gentle smile, the blonde girl turned back to the translucent silhouette of Professor Binns, and focused intently on what he was saying.

o-O-o

Ichigo sighed and ran a weary hand through his dark hair. His last morning class was finally over, and he couldn't wait for lunch. He was terribly hungry, having skipped breakfast after his alarm clock decided to just drop dead on him, and even without eating, he had been ten minutes late to his first period. Thankfully, the students were third years, and were old enough to take care of themselves and not go on a rampage in his class while waiting for him.

He let his gaze wander around the classroom, and caught himself lingering on the painting on the wall. He looked at the bloody battlefield, the darkened skies, and the group of survivors standing proudly yet tiredly in the middle. Their faces were obscured so that they couldn't be recognized by the students and teachers, but he knew who they were, for he had been one of them. He still remembered the deep, unadulterated exhaustion that had been leeching at their will to stay standing and tower proudly over the dead bodies of their enemies.

This battle had been one of the harshest, a nightmare come true which had lasted for a whole week. They had fought day and night, never resting, with no Inoue to rely on to heal their injuries. She had done so at the beginning, of course, but there had come a time when they just hadn't had the time anymore, and going back to her would be jeopardizing her safety. And it was something they all adamantly refused to do.

So they had fought, and fought, and fought. They had bled, sweated, screamed and suffered and cried, but they had never stopped walking forward, and it was only thanks to sheer force of will that they had managed to win the battle.

In the end, there had only been them standing, and the Espadas. The strongest. It was like natural selection.

His gaze washed lovingly over the familiar faces, until he stopped on the two figures standing in the middle of the little group, like the leaders they were. One he knew very well, for he saw it every morning in the mirror. And the other... he let his eyes caress the silky black tresses, the straight demeanor, and white gloves.

_I..._

He tore his gaze away, and ran his hand through his hair again, before exiting the classroom and closing the door with a simple but powerful locking charm. He had breakfast to make up for.

He walked swiftly through the silent hallways, closing his eyes to better enjoy the brief moment of peace and quiet. Unfortunately, all good things have to end some day, and he soon found himself near the Great Hall, which was unusually noisy, even for lunch time.

Vaguely intrigued, he stepped forward, and almost instantly, the students fell silent.

_Ah..._

The reason was actually quite obvious. In front of him stood a man dressed in rich dark blue robes, holding a black, snake-headed cane, talking to Severus, and who had his back to him. The long blonde hair tied into a low ponytail with a silver ribbon was a dead giveaway of the man's identity, and Ichigo heard Shiro cackle maniacally at the back of his mind. The Hollow's anticipation was so communicative he found himself tensing in glee of the show he was about to give the school.

This would be most enjoyable indeed.

"Here he is." Snape said loud enough for everyone to hear, and the man turned around to face him.

Everybody watched with bated breath as Lucius Malfoy spun around and looked at the teacher he had most likely come to have fired, expecting the man to humiliate the foreigner quickly and gracefully.

What they weren't prepared for, however, was for the ever-collected noble to raise an eyebrow, and smirk.

"My, my, my, look at what we have here. I had a feeling it was you, but I was unaware of your leaving Japan..."

Ichigo smirked back and stepped closer.

"Why, Lucius, I am flattered. You recognized me only by reading you son's slandering of me. I'm so moved." He drawled.

The blonde aristocrat extended an arm, which Ichigo clasped, and pulled him forward for a brief but sincere embrace.

"It has been a long time, my friend. I am glad to see that you are doing well."

The younger man's lips curled up as a smile flashed on his features.

"Too long a time. I am happy."

The last sentence took them off guard, especially considering the fact that nothing in his posture hinted at the fact that he would be more than amused.

"Let us move to my chambers." The Potions Master suggested, and Lucius nodded.

"Lead the way."

The three exited the Great Hall, and walked down the hallways until they reached the dungeons, and a snake carving in the wall opened a passage leading to Snape's quarters. They were quick to settle themselves into seats by the fireplace, with a glass of Brandy.

"So, when did you arrive?"

"Two weeks ago. The girls are in fifth year. Karin is in Slytherin, and Yuzu in Hufflepuff."

Lucius nodded, unsurprised.

"Why not tell me?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"Severus didn't know either. I wanted to surprise you."

The Malfoy Lord's eyebrows shot up at that, and his gray eyes softened.

"It is a very good surprise." He said softly.

Ichigo shot him a small smile. They fell silent for a few seconds Lucius took to look him over.

"You look different." He stated matter-of-factly.

The young man nodded.

"Yes. Magic overuse."

"I see."

Severus chuckled, and, seeing his friend's confused look, explained.

"I said the exact same thing when he told me."

"You two are very much alike." Their young protégé said quietly, still staring at the fire. "I'm glad we are reunited again."

"Well, you might have changed, but you're still sappy as a Gryffindor." Lucius drawled, making the Potions Master chuckle when Ichigo shot them an annoyed look.

"I'm not sappy. I just... I'm happy you are still you, even after your war, that's all." His voice had dropped to a whisper by the end of the sentence, but they heard him clear as day. And the two battle-hardened spies couldn't help the feeling swelling in their chest as the young man, whom they knew had always had trouble expressing his feelings, admitted to his worry and affection for them in one single sentence.

For a second, he wasn't the young, confident and powerful young man he presented the world, but a small, vulnerable and insecure child with only one fear: to lose the ones he held dear. They knew what he had meant, and it was enough.

"We're not anywhere close to ready to leave this world, Ichigo, don't worry." Lucius said gently, clasping his hand on the DADA teacher's shoulder, while Severus mimicked the gesture on his other shoulder.

The young man looked up at them, mismatched eyes gleaming with a deep emotion.

"Thank you."

They fell silent for a while, before Ichigo chuckled lowly.

"So, Draco wrote you?"

Lucius smirked in his glass.

"I must admit, I was most intrigued when I read the letter. He seemed extremely... virulent. What did you do to enrage him so?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"I told them some well-needed truths. Needless to say, they didn't like it."

"Slapping them in the face would have gone smoother, I reckon." Severus commented.

"They do need training, it's not my fault they're all terribly unfit. What's more, this rivalry is stupid, and precisely what brings about Dark Lords. Were there not as much segregation and prejudices, Dark wizards wouldn't try to change the world and force people to accept them by killing those who want to get rid of them."

The two men agreed wholeheartedly.

"I tried, at the beginning." Severus said. "But then, with my position as a spy and the Slytherins being outcasts, I did my best to favor them so that they knew they had an ally. It balanced things a little."

"How long are you staying?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"At least three years, including this one. I will teach here until my sisters graduate, and then, well, we will see."

Lucius shot him a rare smile.

"Then we have plenty of time to enjoy each other's company."

The Shinigami nodded vigorously.

"Yes!"

"We will have to test you to make sure you haven't fallen back in your studies."

"Oh, I already know that he is up to date in Potions, considering he has been writing the students' essays for them for the past two weeks."

Ichigo's tan cheeks darkened in embarrassment. He glowered at the Potions Master in outrage.

"That's not true! I just give them tips and guide their thinking process so that they actually give you something adequate to read, and understand the problem better! I do not do their homework!"

Lucius laughed.

"Well, what about dueling, transfiguration, runes and all that?"

Ichigo groaned.

"I got my NEWTs and Mastery in all of them."

They stared at him, shocked.

"You what...?"

The young captain looked smug as he saw them gape.

"You heard me." A pause. "Gaping is very unbecoming of you, Lord Malfoy, Lord Prince."

They closed their mouths with an audible clack, and glared. Ichigo laughed.

o-O-o

Lucius had dinner at Hogwarts, which allowed him to have a few words with the twins and Isshin, before he went back home, leaving the school in chaos and the rumor mill in overdrive over the meeting between the DADA teacher and the Head of the Board of Governors, which had gone in a completely opposite way than expected.

Draco couldn't believe what he had just seen. Not only had his father barely spoken to him, but after he had seen the muggle-lover, he had actually embraced him -_embraced him_!, and then left to catch up! He had stayed until dinner, talked with the twins and the new Keeper of Keys, and then left with the Head of Slytherin and Professor Kurosaki, chatting amiably all the while.

He just couldn't believe it.

The student body was just as thunderstruck as he was, and speculation was running wild about the relationship between the three, how they had met, and whether they were lovers or Death Eaters or both.

And the worst of it was that nobody had actually mentioned the horrible nightmare they had to go through each Friday evening in detention. In the span of two seconds, everything had gone downhill, and Hogwarts was left reeling from the information.

The Kurosaki twins shared a glance above their plate, and smiled at each other. Their brother was a special one. Wherever he went, he immediately got everyone's full attention and interest, be it positive or negative, and kept it. He knew how to make friends in the most unlikely places, and his friendship with two men who had been the exact opposite of him upon their meeting was only proof of that.

Severus and Lucius would never ask questions and pry into his business unless it was absolutely necessary, and even then, they would think twice about digging into Ichigo's secrets, only doing it in last resort. Because they valued privacy and knew what the price for a demeanor such as their brother's was.

It would take time, but eventually, the students would come to understand that the training which scandalized them so was only beneficial to them. And even now when they hated him for it, they couldn't help but respect him to some extent, because he had proven to be extremely competent in Potions, and also willing to give his students constructive help.

Kurosaki Ichigo, they knew, had already wormed his way into their minds, and would stay there forever, however unintentional it might have been.

o-O-o

The third week of classes came and went. The excitement of the new teacher slowly died down as the students understood there was no way to get out of his detentions, and whether they liked it or not, they would have to train their bodies in a muggle fashion. The Defense classes, they had to begrudgingly admit, were very interesting, and the Professor was actually the most competent instructor they had ever had since Remus Lupin four years ago. Slowly, they settled in a routine.

Professor Kurosaki was friends with Professor Snape, the twins had blended in quite easily, and Isshin Kurosaki had taken over the job of Keeper of Keys and Grounds easily enough. Nothing of importance had happened since Lucius Malfoy's visit, and everything seemed to be perfectly peaceful, to the point that the kids all felt very comfortable with the way things were going.

And that's when, one Thursday morning at breakfast, two large packages came by owl for Karin Kurosaki and her brother at the Head table. The young man looked over at the Slytherin table, and saw that his sister had received the same thing he had. With a satisfied nod, he walked down the aisle and up to her. She was drooling shamelessly at the slick, polished, brand new broom, so lost in its beauty that she never noticed the gaping of her classmates, or his stopping by her.

"_Hey. They look good, don't they?_"

She painfully tore her gaze from the object of her fascination, and glared up at him.

"Good? Bloody hell, no! They look just _freakin_' fantastic! I_have_ to fly this _now_!"

He smiled.

"Let's have a flying contest tomorrow evening before their detention, ok? But no riding them before then. It would be cheating, and you'll enjoy it better that way." She hesitated, obviously torn between the contest and company, and the perspective of trying the little gem right now. In the end, she nodded.

"Ok, then, but if I'm dead by then, it'll be your fault. _I can't wait_."

He chuckled lowly, and ruffled her hair slightly, before stepping away as she slapped his hand away.

"_Don't forget. Tomorrow night at seven._"

And then he exited the Great Hall, broom in hand, ignoring the looks. But then, he suddenly reappeared, and looked at Snape, who was still sitting at the Head table.

"_Hey, Severus,_ _why don't you join us?_"

The man snorted. "_Me? Never in hell_."

Ichigo scowled.

"_Ah, come on, you know you're damn good at flying, and we'll need you to at least play referee._ "

The Potions Master sighed.

"_Fine, fine, I'll come. Happy?_"

He was rewarded by a small curling of the thin lips.

"_Very._" He rose the broom in the air. "_Just so you know, there's one waiting for you in your chambers._"

The man started slightly.

"_What?_"

But Ichigo had already disappeared. The Potions Master poked at his food, grumbling all the while under his breath about 'damn cheeky brats who didn't know how to save money'.

Karin was couldn't stand still for one minute for the next day. She kept caressing her broom, coveting it and looking at it fiercely as if it would disappear any moment, and almost growled whenever someone came too close to it for her liking. It was only her brother's firm interdiction to bring it to class which stopped her from dragging it around with her at all times.

By the time Friday evening came around, the Slytherins were a bundle of nerves, and jumped at the smallest sound, thinking that the evil twin had decided they were too close to her beloved broom, and would curse them senseless without leaving them time to explain. Their Head of House, of course, had picked up on their uneasiness, and stopped by them when they met him in the hallways, walking in a tight-knitted group, ready to face any enemy, or die together when faced to the crazy Japanese girl's wrath.

He took pity on them, and right as they were about to brush past him without even seeing him out of pure paranoia, his deep baritone had them start and spin around to face him.

"She will be back to normal by tomorrow." He drawled. "No need to be afraid anymore."

There was a second of silence, before Draco put two and two together.

"You mean she's finally going to ride it and calm down?"

"Indeed."

And with that he swept away, barely holding back an amused smirk at the chorus of relieved exclamations and delighted sighs which exploded behind him. This had been very entertaining.

That night, the Slytherins kept glancing at the Quidditch Pitch, but never saw anyone. So when Yuzu walked by, Blaise was quick to stop her.

"Hey, Kurosaki, do you know at what time your sister is going to go and try out her new broom?"

The blonde girl looked at them with a smile, her eyes completely fearless, which they wouldn't have expected from any non-Slytherin student. But then again, Yuzu was from another country, and twin of Karin, a Slytherin, so...

"Yes. They should be starting right about now. I was going to go watch them, actually, do you want to come along?"

She smiled at their collective nod, and gestured for them to followed her.

"Well, then, let's hurry up."

They all walked down to the Quidditch Pitch, and were joined on their way by Yuzu's friends, and then the Golden Trio -seeing as two thirds of its members were Quidditch addicts, and several other students, who were rather curious about the whole ordeal. Once they started to come closer to the Pitch, Yuzu advised them to keep silent, and then, they settled down in the shadows of the bleachers, so that they were not openly hiding, but the flyers would have trouble seeing them. The girl indicated they should stay there, before she moved out the shadows, and towards her sister, who was standing there by herself.

"Hey, Karin, where's _Ichi-nii_?" She asked gently.

The dark-haired girl shrugged.

"Dunno. I think he's gone to make sure Snape-senseï wouldn't chicken out."

"_Senseï_ is going to fly?"

"Well, you know Ichigo, he..."

"Hey, sorry, we're late, I had to go check on Severus."

The students gaped as they saw their Professor give a smug smirk while glancing at their Potions Master, who was wearing dark green Quidditch robes which showed off a surprisingly toned body, while the Defense teacher wore crimson robes the color of blood -very unlike Gryffindor's bright red. The two held the same model of broom Karin had.

"Karin..." The man started, but then, she interrupted him, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, come on, Ichigo, you know I'll be fine. I'm a damn good flyer, and what's more, if I _were_ to fall -which won't happen, by the way, you'll be there to catch me."

She shot him a cheeky grin, and they stared at each other in silence, silently communicating, and giving a strong feeling to their audience, that they were missing something important. Ichigo shrugged and looked away. The moment passed.

"Very well, then." He looked at the Potions Master, who was slowly running his hands along the polished wood. "You ready?"

Silence. The man was still completely focused on the broom.

And then, he straddled it, and kicked the ground, immediately shooting off in the sky.

He leaned forward on the broom, closer and closer to the stick, until he was almost wrapped against it. He could feel the wind in his air, the thrilling rush of adrenaline, the speed, the unbelievable strength of the broom between his thighs, the long forgotten joy of riding this bullet at top speed, the swelling in his chest at the fact that it was a dear friend who had finally reintroduced him to a love long forgotten.

He leaned up and backwards, more and more, until suddenly, he was flying on his back, and then dropping to the ground like a stone, at breakneck speed, a thrilled laugh erupting from his mouth as he saw the ground coming closer and closer and kept going until the last minute, to pull up and shoot up vertically.

Sweet Merlin, he had missed this so much... Nobody except Lucius and Ichigo knew about this secret talent, his secret love, Quidditch. He had been Seeker, back in the day, and the Malfoy Patriarch the captain, and together, they had brought the Quidditch and House Cup to Slytherin for seven years on end.

And then, the war had come, they both had enrolled as Death Eaters, then defected to the Light and started spying, and their facades hadn't allowed them to play anymore. Quidditch wasn't a game for Purebloods, Quidditch didn't become to the sour and dark Potions Master he was supposed to be. So he had stopped flying altogether.

And then Ichigo had come.

"Having fun?"

Glancing up, he saw Ichigo looking at him from his upside down position a few feet away, his arms outstretched in the air below him. Severus rose an eyebrow at him.

"Aren't you getting lightheaded?"

The younger man grinned.

"Not really. I think Karin's waiting for us." He pointed at the ground, and indeed, there was Karin, her arms crossed her chest and her feet tapping the grass exasperatedly.

"Ichigo, come back here this instant, you jerk!" She yelled at him.

The man let his broom spin on itself until he could look at her.

"Or what?" He yelled back mockingly. "If you want me then come and get me!"

Black eyebrows twitched in annoyance, and suddenly, she was up in the air, and speeding towards them at top speed. Ichigo's cheeky grin vanished, and he glanced at Severus.

"Huh huh, gotta run. See you later." And then he was off.

He dove first, then took a sharp right, followed by a left, his sister hunting him down without relenting. She chased him like that for a while, before obviously getting tired of it, and shooting off a nasty beam of purple light. Fortunately for him, Ichigo felt the disturbing in the air behind him, and ducked, only to dive vertically.

"You mad?" He yelled even as she fired more curses.

Severus watched from above, taking note of the spells she used, and filing away the information for later. She kept shooting off more curses, before suddenly she vanished mid-flight, leaving a whole flock of curses rushing towards the teacher, who then found himself surrounded as she reappeared right before him and threw more spells at him.

Below them, the watching teens gasped aloud, though neither player heard them. The DADA teacher was surrounded, and judging by their color, the curses look particularly nasty. They waited with bated breath for the results. And then, right as the man was about to get smashed by a dozen painful curses, he did the unthinkable...

He jumped. His broom soared up in the sky as he let himself fall off, and dropped down towards the ground at terrifying speed. The teens screamed in horror, but strangely enough, the man's fall seemed controlled, his arms and legs stretched out, his face one of amusement as he came closer and closer, and his sister didn't look the least bit worried about him. When he was at about three feet of height, he flicked his wrist, and twisting his body until he was upright again, and suddenly, he was on his feet on the ground, completely unfazed by his thirty feet fall.

On the stands, Yuzu cheered. Ichigo looked up at the still silhouette of his sister, still perched on her broom, and a frown on her face. His own features darkened into a scowl, before he reached out for his broom, which merely came to him and right into the awaiting palm.

Severus landed next to him, looking like he was ready to faint.

"You okay?" The young man asked the Potions Master, concerned.

Obsidian eyes stared at him in astonishment for a second, before suddenly, the man's magic flared in anger.

"Okay? Are you mocking me? What was that technique? Has this happened before? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? And what are those spells? I never taught her any of _those_!" He hissed furiously.

Ichigo's scowl came back full force.

"I taught her. Where's the problem?"

"Where? This is..." He ran a shaky hand through his hair and closed his eyes to inhale deeply and calm down. "Never mind. You didn't look fazed at all. Did you make a habit of falling off buildings, or what?"

A strange, undecipherable look flashed across the DADA teacher's features, and he smiled rubbed the back of his head in an almost sheepish manner.

"A... lot of battles... took place in the air." He said at last. "We had to learn how to save ourselves if our means of transport was destroyed. I guess I got used to it after a while."

They fell silent for a while, onyx eyes searching Ichigo's face carefully, as Karin landed a few feet away from them.

"You're not telling me everything." He said. "I've kept tabs on Japan since we met, and I have not heard of any war, especially not of the scale you say it was. Sure, there have been a lot of natural disasters in the region of Tokyo, but nothing like a war, be it in the wizarding or muggle war." He paused, eyes narrowing as Ichigo kept looking away. "What have you gotten yourself into, Ichigo?"

The young man sighed, and looked up at the sky, before turning back to his friend.

"There is a war going on, Severus. Just not where you think." He said softly, eyes clouded as he reminisced.

The Potions Master opened his mouth, but the other shook his head.

"No, Severus, I will not tell you anything. This war is far over your head. The powers involved... you have no idea. We left for the twins' safety. I will not involve you or anyone here. Ever. So don't ask, and don't look into it. Please."

And then, he turned around and stalked over to his sisters. A quick nudge on Hermione's part told the watching students that it was time for detention, and, careful to make it look natural, they emerged from the shadows one by one and did their best to look like they always did.

If Ichigo noticed how they were quieter then usual, he didn't say anything. Severus, Karin and Yuzu left when he got the students started on their routine, and for once, he just ran with them, though what time they needed to run three laps, he used to actually run double the amount.

And on the next morning, everybody in the school knew that the DADA teacher had been involved in a hidden war before coming to England, and that both he and the Greasy Bat of the Dungeons were damn good flyers.

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, so our dear Potions Master knows how to fly. I'm sorry if you thought the Quidditch scene sucked, to be quite honest, I never managed to write it satisfyingly, but... well, you get it. Tell me what you thought about it. The point was more to reveal some of our favorite shinigami and wizard's abilities!<strong>

**So? The plot-bunny is fed reviews... Don't review and it'll starve^^**

**PS: Sorry if there are mistakes, I confess I didn't proofread it... I think. **


	5. Trouble in Paradise

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hello everyone! It's 00:41 am here in France, but I really wanted to publish this as thanks to everyone who reviewed and supported me! I have to say, I got a few very unpleasant reviews on other stories these past few weeks, and not nicely worded either, so I feel doubly grateful to all of you who write me your enthusiasm and take the time to do so. Those of you who write must know that it's rarer and rarer these days... <strong>

**Anyway... **

**Here's chapter 5. Enjoy! **

**Warnings are in the 1st chapter.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5:<span>

Ichigo was eating breakfast peacefully when the mail came in. He glanced at the owls in an uninterested manner, out of habit more than anything, and found himself doing a double-take as he saw the beautiful russet-colored bird headed to him with a small parcel in its talons. The falcon landed next to his plate and held out its leg for Ichigo to untie the package.

Once it was done, he petted the bird's delicate head with the back of his finger.

"_Hi Ares._"

The bird butted his palm with his head, and he chuckled gently, before reaching out to the parcel, and unfolding the note. It was written in Japanese.

_Hello Ichigo-kun, _

_Here is the paperwork of the past three weeks. Things have been going okay since you left, so don't worry about us, we're all fine. Yoruichi is actually the one who composed this letter, I'm only writing it for her. Lazy cat. (That's from me). She sends her love. Same with Inoue-san, Rukia-san. The rest of Seireitei and your friends say hello. Any news about the Hollows? _

_See you, _

_Urahara_

_P.S.: The paperwork is due in two days, and you'll get the next stack as soon as possible. _

Frowning, the young man folded the letter and put it in his pocket, before reaching out to the small parcel. He wasn't prepared for what happened as soon as he came in contact with it: he had barely touched it when the parcel seemed to explode, and duplicated into at least ten different folders, all of which were at least one meter thick.

He stared at the sheer amount of papers to sign, completely horrified, and didn't even look up when his father patted his shoulder consolingly, though he could barely repress a grin of pitying mockery.

"I sympathize." He said condescendingly. "Truly, I do. When is this due, by the way?"

Ichigo stared blankly.

"The day after tomorrow." He said weakly.

The grin erupted on his father's face, and the young man barely repressed the urge to wipe it off him with his fists.

"Well... I'll see you on the other side. Goodbye, my dear son, I'll miss you _so_ much!"

The last bit had been said with fake tears running down his cheeks, and Ichigo's eyebrow twitched, before a well-placed kick sent the dark-haired former captain flying into a wall. He crashed against the stone, and slowly slid down the wall, clutching at his face with his hands.

"Ichigo... my son... I'm so proud of you... I have nothing left to teach you anymore!" Came from behind his fingers.

The young man stood, rolling his eyes, and smoothed his robes.

"Go to Hell, goat-face. If you ever come disturb me while I'm going over these, you'll wish you were never born."

He shrunk the stacks of papers, and put them under his arm, before striding down the aisle and to the doors.

"Where are you going?" His father called out after him.

"To kill _geta-boushi_!" The young man barked back.

Thousands of miles away, a blonde man wearing a horrid green kimono and wooden sandals sneezed. Grinning, he wiped at his nose, and thought that his young protégé must have received the parcel by now. A black cat watched calmly as he mumbled to himself, and closed her eyes in fond exasperation. Some things never changed.

o-O-o

Four weeks after Ichigo had started to teach, he was seated in his office, grading papers, when there was knock at the door.

"Enter!" He said without looking up. Urahara had yet to send the next batch of paperwork, and he could only imagine the horror he was going to live when the damn scientist finally did. He would have to contact the Soul Society, or he would never survive the year. Signing three weeks worth of paperwork in two days on top of teaching classes and grading papers was outright impossible, and he didn't plan on dying anytime soon, so he would have to take matters into his own hands if he wanted this to work.

The door opened, and he heard a shuffling of feet, the click of the latch as the students closed the door behind them, and then their footsteps as they came closer.

"Professor?"

_Ah, that was Hermione Granger._

"Hmm?"

"Sorry to disturb you, Professor, but we were wondering..."

Scribbling down a large T, he wrote a brief but scathing comment, and put down his quill before looking up at the students standing there. His eyebrows shot up as he realized they were all Seventh years from all Houses except Slytherin. There were Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, the Golden Trio, Terry Boot and Padma Patil, Susan Bones and Justin Flinch-Fletchley. He frowned slightly at the absence of representation for the House of green and silver.

"What is it, Miss Granger?"

She shuffled uncomfortably on her feet, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Sit."

They obeyed, looking clearly intimidated, and Hermione cleared her throat, before finally gathering her courage and speaking.

"Well, you mentioned a dueling course, at the beginning of the year, and we were wondering if you would set one up."

"You want a dueling club?"

"Yes sir." Harry said.

Ichigo fell silent, considering the idea. Of course, he had thought about it before, but..

"Is this a request from all four Houses?" He asked.

They immediately looked down, and he sighed. Right then, there was a knock at the door, and it opened, revealing his sister.

"_Ah, Karin, perfect timing. Would you mind going to fetch Draco Malfoy and whoever is considered his second in Slytherin? Tell him he can bring up to three people with him._"

She frowned, then nodded, and left.

Ichigo looked at the seven students sitting in front of him, and sighed again. Though the House rivalry had been taken down a very, very tiny notch, the Slytherins were still outcasts, and nobody wanted to include them in anything. He scowled, Shiro cackling at the uneasy looks on the kids' faces, before once again, there was a knock, and the door opened to admit four Slytherins, accompanied by Karin.

Potter scowled as Draco Malfoy walked in, followed by Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson.

"You wanted to see us, Professor?" The blonde asked.

"Yes, Mr Malfoy, take a seat."

They sat the farthest away they could from the Gryffindors, and Ichigo repressed another sigh. This was getting ridiculous, but he wasn't in the mood to start an argument, and so he didn't comment. If this worked out, he would have all the time in the world to correct them anyway.

"Mr Malfoy. I have called you and your classmates here because the other Houses are requesting I create a dueling club. It would be mandatory, of course, but since you were missing, I wanted to have the Slytherins' opinion on this."

"What would it entail?" The boy asked instantly.

Ichigo smiled inwardly. Now that was Lucius' son alright.

"It would take place once a week in the Great Hall or the at the Quidditch Pitch, I have to arrange the details with the Headmaster, of course. I will try to have Professor Snape help me to form two groups following your knowledge. The beginners will start with formal dueling and basic combat stances, while the more advances will be taught in the ways of battle dueling and physical combat. A tournament could be organized at the end of the year, if you so wish."

"What kind of magic would be allowed?"

Ichigo smirked slyly.

"Why, anything apart from the Unforgivables."

The Slytherins looked at him through narrowed eyes, mulling over the answer and immediately understanding the implications. The man would allow Dark magic, as long as nobody was killed, and they used it wisely.

"The tournament is a good idea." Hermione said excitedly.

"What would the prize be?" Padma asked.

He thought about it for a second.

"What would you want? Something like chocolates from Zonko's, or a duel against a teacher? Me, for example?"

They looked at each other hesitantly, and then, Harry spoke up.

"We'd have to talk about it to decide together."

Ichigo nodded.

"Very well."

"And what about a dueling tournament between teachers, and even open to the Parents?" Susan suggested.

Ichigo shrugged. "Well, I have no objection, but apart from Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore, who would be willing to enter? Your father might, Draco, but..." He looked through the window, thinking about the issue, before he shook his head. "No, that would never work. However, I could ask Lucius to come and demonstrate dueling for you. And Professor Snape as well, maybe."

"What about you?" Weasley finally exploded. "Aren't you going to prove you're competent enough to actually teach us? Or are you a coward?"

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed, completely outraged, while Harry face-palmed.

"Sorry, Professor, he didn't mean..." the bushy-haired girl started to apologize, but Ichigo rose his hand to stop her.

"If anything, Ms Granger, I think Mr Weasley should be the one apologizing, not you. You won't always be there to get him out of the messes he creates for himself, you know?" He paused, then narrowed his eyes at the red-head.

"Mr Weasley, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from making such comments in the future. I can assure you, I am a very competent wizard, and you wouldn't like to be at the wrong end of my temper. So please keep your insults to yourself, and try to grow up a little."

The Slytherins watched as Weasley was told off and humiliated, and admired the perfectly even tone with which the man had spoken, never betraying any anger, despite the blow the insult had inevitably dealt to his pride. This man was a Slytherin through and through, just like his sister, they thought. And suddenly, Draco Malfoy could partly understand why his father was friends with him.

There were a few minutes of silence as the man glanced out the window, before looking back at them.

"Purebloods are educated in the way of the sword, yes?" He finally said.

Draco nodded.

"We are. However, there are some" he glanced pointedly at Ron "who have chosen to forgo the traditions."

The young teacher nodded.

"We will study that as well. Same thing as for magic dueling: two groups, one for beginners, and another for those who already know the basics. Is that alright with all of you?"

He looked at each and every one of them in turn, and they nodded, though Weasley looked reluctant, and was still red in the face.

"Good. I will discuss this with the Headmaster, and then get back to you. You can go now. Unless there was something else?"

They shook their heads and stood.

"Thank you, Professor."

They left, and he reclined in his chair, closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Those kids had potential, but their stubborn rivalry was starting to get on his nerves. Dipping the tip of his quill in the ink pot, he went back to his grading until he was finished with the two piles of essays he had been handed the day before, and then straightened up, stretching his arms above his head.

'Better get this over with', he thought, standing.

He made his way over to the Headmaster's office, waved his hand at the gargoyle for it to jump aside, and climbed up the spiraling staircase. He stopped at the door, raising his hand to knock, but froze as he heard his name from inside.

"...Kurosaki."

"...never used magic..."

"...very harsh in both grading and attitude..."

He came closer, very silently, and cast a charm to hear what was said inside clearly.

"And those clothes, this attitude..." Someone he recognized as McGonagall was saying.

"He's a Dark Wizard. A bloody Death Eater. That's where he met Snape and Malfoy!" Another, which he easily acknowledged as Weasley, asserted firmly.

There was a pause, and then, Dumbledore's voice.

"Severus, Lucius, you know him best, what do you have to say?"

Ichigo perked up at the names. What would they say indeed?

"We've never seen him in a meeting with the Dark Lord." Severus said. "And according to him, he only came here for his sisters' safety."

"Safety?" Someone said gruffly. "From what?"

A short silence, and then, the Potions Master spoke again.

"There is a war going on in Japan right now."

"A war?" The person sounded surprised. "I haven't heard of anything."

"That's the point." A female said. "The Ministry hasn't had any notification from the Japanese regarding a conflict of any sort."

"So he's lying."

Ichigo couldn't believe what he was hearing. His friends, his mentors, were there, and actually debating with those people, whoever they were, about whether he was dangerous or not! He closed his eyes and turned around so that his back was to the wall, and leaned his head backwards.

"I don't think so." Lucius' cultured voice said.

"Really?" McGonagall's voice was full of disbelief.

"Yes, elaborate, Malfoy, will you?" The gruff male said.

Lucius took his time, before he started speaking.

"Ichigo didn't look like that when we met him in Japan. His hair, for one, wasn't this color, he didn't wear that kind of clothes at all, and he wasn't that withdrawn. He used to be brash, reckless, and all in all, a normal teenager with normal adolescent problems."

"So what?" Weasley blurted out.

"He looks like a warrior." Severus said. "A true warrior. One who has gone through years of intense war, continuous battles and terrible hardships. He is not the boy we knew anymore."

Silence.

"So he could actually be a Death Eater."

"As Severus said before, we've never actually seen him in a meeting, or even heard the Dark Lord mention an agent in Japan or something remotely like that." Lucius said.

"But he still could be one." A female said.

"Has anyone had a look at his left forearm?" Dumbledore asked. "Lucius, Severus?"

"No." They said.

He must have glanced around the office, for there were several negative answers.

"He always wears those black leather bands. He could very well be using them to hide the mark."

"Since he seems to trust you to some extent, Severus, Lucius, would you keep an eye on him for us? If he does anything suspicious, please report it to the Order, okay?"

A pause, and then... "Very well."

Heavy silence fell over them, and Ichigo opened his eyes, feeling the urge to scream and destroy something. Even here, even with people who didn't know anything about him, he was an object of suspicion, someone they didn't trust, someone even two men he had known since he was a kid and trusted with his life didn't believe in.

Silently climbing down a few steps, he then made sure to walk back up with very little noise, before he knocked at the door and entered. He stopped in the doorway, his face perfectly blank, and his eyes hard. They didn't trust him? Well, what did he care? He didn't belong to their world anyway, and was only here for a mission, and to ensure his sisters would be safe from the war.

Standing very straight, he looked around the office quickly.

The office was completely full with wizards and witches, some of them students, all of them looking at him in curiosity, distrust or open hostility, and Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, gazing at him over his half-moon spectacles.

"Headmaster." He said, his voice toneless. "I see you are busy. I will come back later." He said, noticing Severus standing in a corner. Next to him was Lucius. He studiously ignored them.

He made to leave, but was stopped by the Headmaster's deceivingly kind voice.

"Nonsense, my boy. What is it that you need?"

He glanced at the students, and his jaw tensed at the idea that the dueling club discussion might have been a ploy to keep an eye on him and force him to reveal the extent of his abilities. But it was too late to back down now, so he had to get on with it.

"Representatives from the Seventh years of each House came to me earlier with the request that I form a dueling club. I wanted to ask you if you would be... agreeable to such a thing."

"Excellent idea, Ichigo, my boy. Can you give me a detailed explanation later?"

His features hardened even more if possible at the nickname. God, he hated being treated like a kid when he actually most likely had far more experience than the old man! But in their eyes, he was a young, very dark-looking, very suspicious character, and they didn't trust him.

"Very well. You will have a report on your desk first thing tomorrow." He said curtly.

Spinning around on his heels, he strolled out of the office without a glance at his 'friends', and directly headed out of the castle. He needed to vent. But the fact was, he had nowhere to get a decent fight or let Shiro out, and nowhere to practice his dueling without taking the risk of someone happening upon him and reporting a violent use of unheard of curses with highly destructive results. And with the current situation...

His only option was to retreat to his inner world, but for that, he would need somewhere nobody would disturb him. Or...

Or he could go back to the Soul Society for a few hours. Standing at the top of the steps leading to the Entrance Hall, the young man hesitated briefly. What should he do? Go back to the Spirit World, or settle for finding a quiet place where he could go to his inner world and vent privately. The problem with the second solution was that he might release his spiritual pressure, and more than the fact that it might not go unnoticed by the wizards, it could also attract Hollows, and endanger the school.

No, he would go to the Spirit World, and train by himself in the cave under the Sokyoku Hill, then arrange for his paperwork to be sent on a more regular basis, and check on the division, to ensure it was running smoothly without him. But first, he had to warn his father and sisters, so that they covered for him.

He spun on his heels and walked back in. He was quick to reach Isshin's chambers, and rapped three times at the door, before being admitted in.

"Ichi... What's the matter?" The man had dropped all goofiness as soon as he had seen his son's face.

"I'm going to the Soul Society for a while. I need to train and check on the division." Ichigo said dryly. "If anyone asks, say I left to meet with some friends or something, okay?"

Brown eyes studied him intensely for a minute, before the ex-shinigami captain nodded slowly.

"Okay."

"Thanks."

Ichigo turned around and exited the room, but caught is father's last wish nonetheless.

"Be careful, son."

The portrait closed, and he was in the hallway once more. He stalked back down to the Entrance Hall, aware of the students' staring, and exited the castle. He was at the edge of the wards in barely five minutes, and, spinning on himself gracefully, Apparated away soundlessly.

He landed in a secluded place, he had no idea where, but he didn't really care. All he wanted for somewhere to open a Garganta without notice, and this was absolutely perfect. Shooting a quick glance around to make sure he was alone, Ichigo channeled a small amount of spiritual pressure into the tip of his index finger, and tore at the fabric of the sky, until a large opening gaped onto swirling masses of utter blackness and unfathomable void.

With an ultimate look around, the young man stepped in the portal and started walking, letting the passage close behind him.

o-O-o

He entered Soul Society directly in the cave, and immediately went to check on the Sekki-sekki stones he had placed all around the place so as to keep the insane amount of reiatsu he emitted when training inside, and getting some privacy whenever he needed some. They were all still in place, thankfully, and he was quick to discard his human body and put it in a secluded corner also isolated by the reiatsu-suppressing rocks.

Standing in his spirit form, he flexed his fingers and stretched, relishing in the feeling of freedom that came with the enhanced senses of his liberated body. Without the restrictions of his mortal shell, he could let out all of his spirit power, and indulge in his need for space and exercise. Taxing exercise, not mere running around a lake at a sedate pace -for him, at least- so that he wouldn't arouse suspicions.

Then again, judging from the way the people he surmised were members of the Order of the Phoenix had talked about him that day, his looks only had been sufficient in putting him on their black list, and even the people he actually trusted and thought he could rely on never to waver in their faith in him were weary of him.

This was all so pathetically common that he couldn't help but be torn between the want to cry and grieve because of the betrayal, or just laugh helplessly at the irony of it all.

"_**Hey Aibou! You know it's pouring buckets, in here?**_**"**

He looked up at the familiar face of his evil twin, who had taken advantage of the discarded body to materialize, and smiled sadly.

"_Sorry. It's just that it was... unexpected._"

The albinos looked saddened as well. Over the years of war and fighting, the two had had to bring their feud to an end if they wanted to survive, and so they had fused together, merging until they could freely take and give control to the other, while having unlimited access to the other's powers at the same time. It was a unique experience, it was something which had never been achieved by anyone else.

It was what had made them the politically and physically powerful entity they had become in the Spirit World, what had made them able to lead a division and one of the four noble clans at the same time, an ability that had saved their life on more occasions than one.

And the fusion had improved their relationship to a point where it was one of brotherhood, and Ichigo knew that at this instant, his doppelganger was genuinely concerned, as were his Zanpakutôs.

"_**I know.**_**"** Shiro said softly. **"**_**Let's spar, okay? And maybe go and visit Captain Pretty.**_**"**

Ichigo smiled at the name. The Hollow had been calling Byakuya that for quite some time now, well aware that it amused his host to no end while annoying the noble, and it was a source of constant teasing on his part whenever he was in control of the body they shared, and alone with the noble.

"_Let's spar_." The young captain agreed, and unsheathed his Zanpakutôs from their crossed sheaths on his back. He fell into a low combat stance, eyes riveted on his opponent as reversed mismatched eyes stared right back.

And then, with a predatory grin, Shiro blurred out of sight.

o-O-o

Kuchiki Byakuya sighed as he stamped down a sheet of official paper for the thousandth time at least that day. He was bored, incredibly bored, bored to death. His sister, however annoying she was, was off with his idiot of a vice-captain, his division was running perfectly smoothly, and there was no one here who would dare annoy him.

In fact, he was supposed to be lounging peacefully in his mansion, enjoying a quiet day off as he always did every week. But this week, as for the past four ones, there had been an emptiness everywhere he went to, and he found himself missing something he most certainly should not.

Because Kuchiki Byakuya, Clan Head of the most ancient and noble Kuchiki Clan, sixth division captain and proud companion of the mighty Senbonzakura, would rather die than admit that he wished someone like Kurosaki Ichigo was there to liven the surroundings up a little.

Never, ever.

The boy was a mortal, for starters, and a commoner. Then, there was the fact that he had gained powers illegally, from his sister, no less, and had broken into Seireitei to save her from execution while stomping on at least a hundred thousand-year-old rules, before actually becoming a captain without having gone through the Academy first.

He could not deny, however, that the boy was now the Head of the Shihouin Clan, a fellow captain, and one of the only people in the world able to kick his ass in a fight. And the war had changed him a lot. He had become quiet, withdrawn, a living incarnation of concealed power, a being of might and gentleness all hidden behind a carefully woven mask, and loath as he was to admit it, he had grown _beautiful_.

"_Thinking about me?_"

The black-haired man barely started, and snapped his head towards the source of the voice, only to find the object of his thoughts leaning against the windowsill nonchalantly, his arms crossed over his chest, mismatched eyes looking right at him.

"_You're back_."

Ichigo nodded.

"_Not for long, though, and I made sure nobody saw me._"

Steel gray eyes narrowed.

"_It's your day off anyway, what are you doing here?_" Ichigo asked, sounding concerned.

Byakuya ignored the question and stood.

"_Do you have time for a cup of tea?_" He asked in his usual even tone.

"_Sure._"

"_Let us go then_."

They blurred out of sight and reappeared right in front of the entrance of the mansion, where a maid immediately bowed in greeting.

"_Kuchiki-sama, Shihouin-kyo_. _Welcome back_."

"_Bring us tea at the usual place in the gardens._" The man said, before heading for said place, followed by his silent guest.

They went to the gardens, and sat down at a stone table under a blooming sakura tree, opposite each other. They didn't say a word, merely looked at each other, and Byakuya saw it immediately. Something had happened, something which had deeply unsettled his young colleague -friend, saddened him, even, and he had come here for some sort of comfort and to vent.

Byakuya couldn't even imagine what it was to go on for days on end trapped in a mortal shell without any way to let his power out or even allow a tiny amount of reiatsu to trickle out. And given Ichigo's insane amount of spiritual pressure, he must have been extremely stressed during the last few weeks. Yet, he had only come after a month, another proof of his incredible tolerance and resistance to any form of pain or pressure.

But he didn't look...

"_Are you well_?" He asked, unable to control his concern.

The young man's eyes snapped to him, and softened considerably, in a display of emotion which had his heart swell in his chest in a most peculiar manner.

"_I am... disappointed._" He said at last.

Knowing not to comment and to wait for the younger captain to speak, the long-haired noble waited wisely.

"_I- As you know, I am a wizard. When I was younger, my mother used to teach me, and after her death, we met two English wizards, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy, who took over, and educated us in the ways of magic. It is thanks to them that we weren't left ignorant and potentially dangerous. I- I thought of them as my friends. I _trusted_ them. With my life._" He paused, and nodded at the maid, who had just placed a porcelain cup filled with steaming tea in front of him.

"_I met them again when I started teaching at the twins' school. Everything was fine at first, and I thought they had accepted me, liked the change even._"

Ah. Now, Byakuya had a feeling he knew where this was all leading. Ichigo took a sip of his tea and closed his eyes, palms firmly pressed against the hot porcelain.

"_It seems I was wrong._" He murmured after a while.

He kept silent for a while. The sixth captain sipped his tea in silence, never looking away from the sharp features of the man he had come to consider a friend over the past seven years of war and hardship. The younger man's eyes were swirling pools of emotion, and that alone was enough to prove how deeply the betrayal hurt.

"_The English Wizarding War has just come out of war._" Ichigo explained. "_There were two groups actively fighting. The Dark Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters, and the Headmaster of my school, Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. The Dark Lord was defeated three months ago, and the side of the Light won. However, there are still Death Eaters roaming free, waiting for an occasion to get revenge, or start a movement again. Of course, these people are wanted by the government, a task which is made easier by the mark branded into their left forearm._"

He paused, and his eyes slid shut as he took a sip of hot liquid.

"_The problem is that those people have been made incredibly suspicious by the war, and tend to see evil everywhere, including the new Defense teacher, who always wears dark colors, doesn't talk quite much, is friends with two known Dark Wizards and former Death Eaters, and never ever shows off his forearms._"

Byakuya nodded in understanding.

"_Today, I went to the Headmaster to discuss the possibility of creating a dueling course for the students, and incidentally happened to overhear a conversation about me held between the members of the Order of the Phoenix. Severus and Lucius were both present. As it is, nobody trusts me._"

He nodded absently.

"_That I can live with. But when the Headmaster asked them information about me, and then to report to him were I to do anything suspicious..._"

He trailed off, looked down, his fingers clenching at the edge of the stone table so tightly that his knuckles went white. Byakuya looked at him silently for a while, making sure that he was finished, before he stood up, and went to sit down next to Ichigo. Startled at their sudden proximity, the young man looked up, eyes widening.

"_Byakuya, wha-?_"

He didn't have time to finish, as in a rare display of affection, the dark-haired Shinigami pulled him in an embrace, holding him tightly against his chest. Ichigo tensed briefly, before relaxing in his arms, and resting his head on the muscular torso. His arms sneaked around the older man's waist and clutched at him desperately, and suddenly, Byakuya had the striking feeling that he was comforting a child, and at the same time, it felt somehow wrong. As if the picture was off.

This embrace wasn't one between a father and his son, he felt, but one of lovers. Something which, he thought firmly to himself, would never ever happen. Squashing this train of thought, he tightened his grip on the smaller man, and rested his chin at the top of his head.

"_It'll be okay_." He said gently. "_You'll be okay. Even if they turn their back on you, even if they abandon you, even if they leave you, I will be here for you, always. Whenever you need to talk, whenever you need comfort, whenever you need _anything_, you can come to me, and I'll answer immediately._"

Ichigo buried his face even deeper in the folds of his clothing, and he found that, surprisingly, he didn't mind at all. He knew those words were very out of character for him, that this embrace and whole situation were completely unrealistic and most likely only a dream, but at this moment, he couldn't find it in himself to care. The younger captain fit perfectly in his arms, toned body pressed flush against his own muscled torso, and the thought of him being the one he had gone to for comfort and company instead of someone else -his sister, for example, was, for some reason he couldn't fathom, infinitely uplifting.

Ichigo nodded slowly against his chest, but didn't make a move to get away, and as they sat there embracing each other, all was well in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>Enter Byakuya! Hurray! <strong>

**Don't hate me for Severus and Lucius, people! I love them too! **

**Well, I'm off to bed now... I'll dream of your reviews^^! **

**Ah, yes, I wanted to say that the entire conversation was in Japanese, so I put it in italics, but there are chances that I just leave it in normal characters in the future, when conversations only involve Japanese people. Obviously, they'd use their birth language... **

**Good night all! I love you, you're awesome!  
><strong>


	6. Dueling Club

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi people! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!<strong>

**Manga Reader 125 pointed out a very interesting point about the Golden Trio and their prejudices** **against Ichigo and Dark Wizards in general... In fact, the trio's wrong is essentially that they're not doing anything at this point, except for Ron, who's being his usual prat-self. I tried to write him as hot-headed and reckless as in JK's books, but it's not bashing, it's just him being... well, himself. I also explain that apparent lack of tolerance -though it's more passive than anything right now- by the fact that the war has just ended: people are quite traumatized by Dark Wizards, whom they practically all assimilate to Evil Wizards, bloodthirsty and all that. What's more, they love their -according to them hardly gained peace, and don't like queer folk who might bring trouble. **

**I also wanted to thank him or her for his/her polite way of writing a constructive criticism: in four years of membership of this site, I just started 'meeting' assholes who love wasting time reviewing stories only to tear them down, and it wasn't pleasant. So that's double thanks to all of you who took the time to write a review and tell me of your liking my story. It warms my heart, it really does, and I love you all!  
><strong>

**Hmmm... Think I said it all. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6:<span>

That evening, when Ichigo went back to the World of the Living, he was feeling far better than he had when he had left. Byakuya's company had been infinitely uplifting and reassuring, and he had unexpectedly found comfort somewhere he never would have thought he would. As it was, the noble had proven to be extremely comprehensive and gentle when he had understood the problem, and he had been a great person to talk to.

The man knew when to listen and when to speak, and that was a quality Ichigo couldn't ever appreciate enough.

He stepped through the Garganta and watched it close, making sure no one had seen him, before he apparated to Hogsmeade and started making his way back to the castle. It was dinner time, and he quickly made his way back to the Great Hall, where he took his seat and started eating silently, merely nodding curtly at Snape and Dumbledore. He was very careful, though, not to meet their eyes. He didn't think he could bear looking at Severus after what he had heard earlier in the day.

Severus tried to engage a conversation, but the young man was very careful to only answer vaguely enough that the man would understand he didn't wish to talk. And indeed, after a few vain tries, the Potions Master left him alone. Ichigo ate his meal quickly and stood, swiftly striding out of the Great Hall, and ignoring the concerned looks from his father.

He would have to think of a strategy, he thought. He couldn't suddenly change attitudes towards Severus and Lucius right after they had a compromising conversation about him, a conversation he wasn't supposed to have heard, but turning colder to the two men who had agreed to watch him would be very compromising if it wasn't done subtly. He would have to drift away from them slowly and discreetly. Withdraw some more.

They had been the only ones he had somewhat opened himself to after seven years of war. Except for Byakuya, of course, whom he was so similar to, they were the two people he would have opened his heart to and told all his secrets had he felt ready. He thought they would accept him and respect him, trust him even despite all appearances, especially given what he knew of their past.

They had been Death Eaters, willingly at first, and then, spies for the Light. They were Dark Wizards, people who had -and still suffered from the Wizarding folk's prejudices and narrow-mindedness. And yet, when they had seen him changed, when they had been confronted to his sudden maturity and withdrawn mentality, they had withhold their trust from him. It was like they could accept him as a somewhat naive boy, someone they could read and predict easily. But when he started displaying secrets and hidden power, they started distrusting him, and got suspicious.

He had been stupid, he guessed. Stupid to think they were less prejudiced than the others because of their own shady past. Stupid to believe in them, in their friendship and tolerance. He should have known that they wouldn't be any different from the Shinigamis who feared and hated him because he was different, a being of such power they could never fathom.

In the end, both as a wizard and a Shinigami, he was a freak. Someone abnormal to the tiniest detail, and who could never fit in.

The war had taught him never to trust. He had stuck to the rule, and only found himself fortunate to have done so. Only a select few had his trust. And today, two of them had harshly thrown this faith back to his face. How was he to make sure nobody else would betray him like this in the future?

The answer was quite simple.

He couldn't.

Yet, he wanted to believe that Byakuya would never leave him, and would stay true to his word, support him through anything and everything, follow him to Hell and back. The question remained nevertheless: what would he weigh compared to the dark-haired man's position both as a Clan Head and Seireitei Captain? He wasn't sure, and in fact, he was pretty sure he would be correct in assuming the man would chose both privileges over him.

He was, after all, only a ryoka, a human, an anomaly turned part of Soul Society because it would otherwise be too dangerous if left alone to roam unchecked, while the noble had sworn to his dead ancestors to protect the sacred laws of Seireitei. And Ichigo, despite all his good intentions, was still someone who wouldn't hesitate stomping on the rules Byakuya stuck to in order to get what he wanted.

No, he could never trust anyone.

Ichigo stopped at the entrance of his rooms, his eyes hard as he spoke the password.

"_White Emperor_."

This would be the last thing he would allow himself as a token of his affection to the handsome Kuchiki Clan Head. Starting today, Kurosaki Ichigo would be definitely dead.

In his place would now stand Shihouin Azrael, the man he should have always been.

o-O-o

When Professor Kurosaki entered the classroom on Monday morning, the students immediately quieted down, and listened intently to what he said. The man looked even icier than usual, his eyes hard and his features completely and utterly expressionless. Where he had sometimes smiled or even smirked, there was nothing now, his face was a mask of blankness, and he never expressed the tiniest bit of emotion.

The lessons intensified, as did the detentions on Friday evenings, and the students found themselves returning to their dorms with muscles so sore they had the feeling they would never be able to stand up again after falling asleep as soon as their head touched the pillow. Yet, they also found that they were slowly improving their endurance, getting tougher, and could sustain dueling for a longer time while pulling off stunts they would never have dreamed of before.

The man may have gone even harsher and more silent than he had been, but it only had a good influence on their grades, and they found themselves looking forward as much as fearing the DADA class.

Ichigo, on the other hand, had written the promised report about the dueling club and given it to Dumbledore, who had approved of it after two days of studying it. The young man couldn't help but think that such a long time to read a page and a half was quite exaggerated, but he said nothing, and merely took the authorization to proceed with the course.

That's how, one week after the representatives had come to find him, a note was pinned on the information boards everywhere in the school, announcing that the dueling course, which would be mandatory for all students third year and up, would take place every Monday and Wednesday evening in the Great Hall, under the tutelage of Professors Kurosaki, Snape and Flitwick, starting the week after.

Most of the students were extremely excited, and that included the Golden Trio. The three friends were talking animatedly with their classmates as they headed to the Great Hall on Monday evening.

"I'm sure you'll win, Harry." Hermione was saying. "And then, you'll get to duel Professor Kurosaki. I can't wait to see how he fights!"

"Yeah," Ron added, "everybody knows how you defeated You-Know-Who and taught the DA, after all."

The emerald-eyed boy grinned sheepishly.

"I don't know, Ron, 'Mione. After all, there's been the war, and, well, you've all fought as much as I have, and I'm pretty sure I don't know half as many curses as Hermione..."

Ron smiled, sneaking a possessive hand around his girlfriend' waist.

"You're right, mate. My 'Mione could defeat all of us in a second. I'm sure she'll hand all of those Slimy Slytherins their asses."

Hermione flushed, in both anger and embarrassment.

"Ronald!"

"That will be twenty points from Gryffindor, Mr Weasley." A cool, silky voice drawled as Professor Kurosaki passed by them and entered the Hall.

The red-head turned a nice shade of red which clashed horribly with his flaming hair, but didn't get the chance to protest as he was elbowed in the ribs by Harry, and then pushed in the Great Hall by Hermione. They quickly took seats with the Gryffindors on the left side of the room where benches had been set alongside the walls, and watched as the man went to stand on the stage at the forefront of the room.

"Is everybody here?" He questioned quietly.

Nobody answered, and he nodded approvingly, his face blank of any emotions.

"Very well. Let us begin, then. This dueling course, as you know, is mandatory for all students third year and up. First and second year students, please identify yourselves."

Three first years and seven second years rose their hand.

"You will come to me once I am finished with the explanations." They lowered their hands, and he turned back to the rest of the students. "This course was a request from your seventh year representatives, and I cannot help but find myself agreeing to their reasoning. As you are no doubt aware, the war may be over, but there are still followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort's out there."

He rose his eyebrows as gasps echoed all around the room at the name and filed away the information for later, but continued nonetheless.

"This means that another war could erupt anytime, or you could be attacked when alone, and unable to call for help. You need to be prepared for such occasions, however unlikely they might look to you, and this will be the primary goal of this course."

He paused, and sat down on the Head table, with one foot on a chair he had just conjured wandlessly, and his elbow resting on his bent knee.

"Since most of you have not had the privilege of getting a pureblood education, you will be divided into three groups. Beginners will be taught by Professor Flitwick. You will learn dueling etiquette, the basic stances of combat, and curses you simply cannot duel without. You will also learn some basic strategies. Advanced people skilled in both magical and physical dueling will be with me, and Professor Snape will teach those in-between. The former will be submitted to mock battle situations and improve their sword and dagger wielding, along with some wandless magic, while the others will learn the basics of those forms of combat. Any questions?"

Hermione rose her hand.

"Ms Granger?"

"Professor, if I may ask, would you be willing to show us a true wizarding duel? Professor Lockart's demonstration in second year wasn't very... impressive." She added the last bit sheepishly.

Ichigo stiffened. There was only one person capable of standing their ground against him in this room, and it was Severus. But he didn't really have a choice: if he refused to show them, then the students would never respect him again. He would just have to hold back and use mostly Light magic.

The idea made him grimace inwardly. He _hated_ Light magic. It was so... weak.

"Very well, Ms Granger." He turned to Severus, and spoke, while looking at a spot right above the man's shoulder, so that the students would get the feeling that he was actually looking at him.

"Professor Snape, would you duel me?" He spoke coolly.

The man gave a sharp nod, and shrugged off his outer robe, while Ichigo followed his example, and appeared clad in much the same garb he always was. Flitwick was chosen as referee. They stepped onto a platform Ichigo had just conjured, and faced each other in the middle.

"Your terms?" Ichigo asked.

"No Unforgivables. Magic only."

"Very well."

They rose their wands to their face in a salute, then bowed shallowly, and started walking away from each other, before stopping at ten paces of distance.

"Begin!"

Ichigo had already dived out of the way of a dozen disarming and stunning spells, and fired off a stunner, a bludgeoning spell and a jelly-leg jinx, which were easily deflected. Standing up in one smooth movement, he shielded himself from several curses, and started moving, never staying still enough to let Snape get a proper aim, and approaching the dark-haired Potions Master, who was actually doing the same thing as he was, before a concussion charm propelled them away from each other.

The battle started again, this time with an attack on Ichigo's part, who conjured a whole flock of flying rocks to block the strongest spells directed against him, while at the same time making a dozen salamanders appear from nowhere, and start attacking Snape, breathing out fire on his robes to distract him. The strategy paid off: the man managed to change the rocks into sharp shards of ice which charged Ichigo, but was hit by a stunner while at the same time trying to put out the fire. The ice vanished, as did the salamanders and the rest of the conjurations, as Flitwick announced Professor Kurosaki's victory, and _enervated_ Snape.

Ichigo banished the platform, and went back to his perch on the Head table.

"This was a formal duel, the likes of which you can find in the underage dueling competitions. The adult category, though, fight in an arena, in battle-like conditions."

"There are dueling competitions?" Padma Patil asked, looking interested.

Ichigo nodded.

"Yes there are. They are very appreciated, though you wouldn't know of them, since England has never been a big participant. Most of the candidates come from all over the world but Great Britain. I guess it was a consequence of your war." He shrugged.

"Have you ever participated in one?" Draco Malfoy asked.

"Indeed I have."

He let them simmer, knowing the question would come, and soon enough, it did.

"Who defeated you?"

He smirked, for the first time in weeks.

"Who said I have been defeated?" He said.

Ignoring the speculative looks from the teachers who had wanted to watch the dueling club, and the groans from the students at the thought of having to actually think about the not-question rather than being fed the information, he clapped his hands dryly once to get their attention.

"Anyway. As you saw, dueling isn't all about who can fire the most curses with the most power and at the highest speed. It is also a matter of endurance, something you will come to see when you start studying battle situations, creativity, and strategy. Transfiguring objects, creating a distraction, using anything at your disposal against the enemy, that's what dueling is all about. You can fire dozens and dozens of curses on end, if your opponent has more stamina and proves to be more inventive than you are, you will be an easy prey once you have exhausted yourself with his distractions."

He paused.

"I will tell you this now. Dueling is not something you can undermine. Dueling is an art. Dueling is a pleasure you will have to work hard to experience and improve, and if I see anyone slacking off or using what I am teaching for ill-thought purposes, you will be sorry. I do _not_ condone violence, unnecessary confrontations or insults. All of you are equals, peers, human beings. If you start challenging each other to duels in the hallways for anything other than friendly purposes, I will make sure that you will regret it. Am I understood?"

Silence. You could have heard a fly.

"I'll take that as a yes. I will now form the groups, but for that to work, I need to evaluate you. All of you stand up and go to the back of the Hall." They did, and he vanished the benches. "First of all, the people who are trained in sword and dagger wielding, to my left."

A majority of Slytherins moved forward and to the side, along with some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and two Gryffindors. He nodded.

"Those who have never dueled, bar the first and second years, to my right."

A good third of the students moved to stand opposite the first group, composed mostly of third to fifth year muggle-born and half-bloods. Ichigo sighed.

"_This is so cliché it's not even funny_." He muttered to himself in Japanese.

"All of the others know the basics and have dueled before?"

There was a general nod. He noticed the Golden Trio at the forefront, and rose an eyebrow. The platform reappeared.

"Very well." He fell silent for a second. "Potter, Granger, come forward and duel."

They did. He watched attentively. The girl was very knowledgeable, and used a lot of different curses, but Potter made up for his lack of extra-curriculum knowledge by showing remarkable creativity and strength. Finally, the duel ended with Granger as the loser, and a panting Potter _enervating_ her.

They turned to their Professor, waiting for a comment.

"That was surprisingly interesting." He finally said. "You, Potter, lack knowledge, and you, Granger, rely far too much on books. Stay in that group."

He slid off the table.

"We will start now. The forefront of the room will be dedicated to the advanced. Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, I leave the rest to you."

And he walked off the the left side, right as two glowing blue lines appeared and divided the Great Hall into three parts. Conjuring chairs for his relatively small group -there were only three dozens students, he sat down, and waited for them to be comfortable, before he started talking.

"Okay. You all are here because of a somewhat privileged education. First of all, I will say this: in my group, you are no Slytherins, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws. You are Hogwarts students, and wizards and witches. There will be no distinctions made according to the House you belong, and I expect you all to treat each other respectfully and even friendly. If you can't...well, let's just say you won't like the consequences."

He flicked his wrist, and the House crests turned into Hogwart's insignia, while all colors turned black.

"So we will start over. You are students, all equal, and here to learn. Let's start with introducing ourselves to each other so as to get to know each other. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, twenty-two, and I come from Japan. I have taken part in a lot of dueling competition. I hope we work well together."

One after the other, his students introduced themselves, never mentioning the House they were in as he had forbidden them to, and when they were done, he nodded.

"Now, I am going to see how well exactly you can duel. Malfoy, Longbottom, you go first."

He knew he was taking a risk by pairing a known Slytherin with someone who everybody knew to be a Gryffindor, but it was a necessary step to take, and so he did. The duel started as he had asked, with magic only. Surprisingly enough, the Longbottom boy was defending himself quite well, and he couldn't quite understand why it was that Severus kept ranting and raving that the boy was an idiot and a desperate case of clumsiness, something which the other teachers privately agreed to.

"Very good. Physical combat now."

Five minutes later, Draco had Neville pinned under him with the tip of his dagger at his throat. Maybe Severus wasn't completely wrong, after all. But the problem, according to him, was more of a lack of confidence and coordination than anything else. It could perfectly be cured. Nodding, he signaled for the next pair to take the stage, and observed the dueling once more.

In the end, he had inherited quite a gifted group, people he was sure would make great fighters once appropriately trained, and he couldn't wait to start teaching them. However, he would have to convince them of the necessity of muggle training first.

When he had seen them all, an hour and a half had already gone by, and he let them sit back down for a debriefing.

"I am satisfied. Very satisfied, to tell you the truth. Most of you have solid bases, and I think that you have great potential. However, you lack something extremely important, which is stamina. If you want to correct this flaw, you will have to follow my orders, even if you do not like it. I can assure you it will make a difference between you and an untrained opponent in battle."

They nodded gravely.

"This will be hard, even more so considering the fact that all of you are already quite skilled, and therefore in need of particularly hard training. Magical and physical combat go hand in hand, and sometimes, you will find that shields protecting the enemy from anything magical can be cut through like butter by muggle objects, making it terrifyingly easy to cut down the opponent with a single strike."

More nods. Tapping a pile of parchments he had taken notes on with his wand, he handed the duplicates to the appropriate student, and watched them read them. Their expressions went from horrified to determined via hesitant, and he nodded to himself. Those were a good group. They would go through their routine, even if they didn't like it at first.

"Any questions?"

They shook their heads, and he glanced at his watch.

"Well, you still have half an hour, so I suggest you start going through some drills in physical combat. Those of you who already know them from detention, show them to the others, it will help me evaluate how far along you are."

And so he spent the remainder of the two hours slot watching his group intently as they went through their paces, helping each other and demonstrating whenever it was needed. Of course, the Gryffindors still tended to associate with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs rather than the Slytherins, but they were not calling each other names or hexing each other, and it was as good a start as anything else.

Ichigo rubbed his forehead tiredly. There was still a long way to go before Gryffindors and Slytherins stopped playing guerrilla and finally admitted they were being terribly childish.

But he would manage.

He always did.

o-O-o

Once the students had all been dismissed, he nodded at the staff and left the Hall after them, heading to his rooms. Tomorrow, he would most likely get a huge stack of paperwork to fill, and he wanted to get some sleep to prepare himself to the three sleepless nights to come.

Unfortunately for him, when he arrived at his portrait, it was only to find Severus waiting there, leaning against the wall. He slowed his pace, and stopped a few feet away from him.

"Severus. Is there something you need?"

The dark-haired man directed a piercing gaze at him.

"Yes. I would very much like to know why you have been avoiding me."

**'Here we go...'** Shiro snickered in the back of his mind. '**Tread carefully, **_**Aibou.'**_

Ichigo nodded inwardly.

"Wherever did you get such an idea?" He said coolly.

Severus glared.

"Don't get smart with me, Ichigo. You have been avoiding me, and I would like to know why."

The young Shinigami plastered a tired look of confusion on his face, and sighed heavily. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he answered:

"I haven't. Listen, Severus, I'm very tired, and worried, and I would like to get some rest before tomorrow."

"Worried?"

"Yes. In case you have forgotten, my homeland is at war, and I happen to have friends there. Now, if you don't mind, I really need to sleep. Goodnight."

And without another word, he gave the password and entered his rooms, which he warded so that nobody could enter, even with the password. He really didn't need someone intruding upon his privacy and going through his things during his sleep. Tonight, he just wanted to rest.

To rest, and to forget everything. The war, the betrayal, the suspicion, the division, the paperwork, the rivalry, everything.

He was so tired...

o-O-o

Days went by. Ares came every week to give him the division paperwork, and sometimes get his report. Unfortunately, there was nothing to report: the Hollows announced by the twelfth division hadn't shown up, and he hadn't felt a single reiatsu signature in the five weeks he had already been in England.

He avoided the ghosts of the castle, fearing that they might somehow feel his true nature, and then go and tell the Headmaster, which would put him in a difficult position. He also avoided Severus, talked very little to his colleagues, and kept to himself most of the time. His sisters had perfectly blended in the Hogwarts student population, and he wasn't about to ruin things for them, while his father seemed content enough with his job, and since they had never been that close anyway, he didn't see a reason why it should change now.

He was a twenty-two year old, experienced warrior, and could take care of himself just fine. To run crying to his father about trust issues would be utterly pathetic and unbecoming, and he didn't intend to do any such thing, ever.

He wasn't stupid anyway. He knew perfectly well that the change the war had forced him to undergo had affected his relationship to his sisters, and that though Yuzu did her best to act like she always had -a patient mother figure, both the twins were uneasy in his presence. He was too dark for them, too broody, to full of secrets and contained violence.

They knew of the war, of course: there had come a moment where he had been forced to explain everything to them, and they were aware that he was a key player in it. But the implications hadn't sunk in until they had truly seen him come back one day all bruised and bloody, with half his side missing, ribs showing, and burns and scars everywhere. It had taken Inoue two days and a half to heal him completely, and he still had the scars to prove it.

That was when they had understood that in this war, each and everyday that went by could be the one he wouldn't return, and then, later in time, when his allies had time to do it, someone would show up at the door and tell them he had finally been killed in battle. That, however, had only made them more clingy at first.

It had changed, though, when they had been attacked one day at home, barely six months ago. Isshin had already been planning to take them away from Karakura by that time, but it had been the true trigger of their moving to England. When the men in white had showed up and tried to harm them, their father had revealed his true nature and fought against them, but in the end, he was only one, and they were three.

They had thought it was the end for them, Ichigo knew that. But then, he had showed up. He had taken over the battle, and been forced to use his released Hollow form to defeat the three enemies. Granted, they had only been nondescript Arrancars, but he had just gotten out of battle in Soul Society, had spent the whole day fighting wave after wave of Hollow and Arrancar, and was completely exhausted. He had had to fight almost at full force so as to protect his sisters.

Unfortunately, it involved a slight change in personality and the emergence of a sadistic streak that was purely Shiro's, but his at the same time. Fueled by his rage at seeing the twins' crying in fear over the beaten and bloody body of their father, he hadn't fought the hybrids.

He had destroyed them. Easily, cruelly, and most of all, he had enjoyed it.

And he had known right there and then, even through the slight hysteria weariness and pain had induced in him, that he had lost them. Oh, they would never abandon him, never turn their back on him or say anything hurtful.

But he knew, deep inside him, that they feared him, and that he had lost his status as a big brother that day. He was more of a bodyguard or a permanent guest now. Sad as it was, he had managed to break his family even more than he already had at the age of nine, when he caused his mother's death. How could one not fear someone who laughed while utterly slaughtering his enemies, and licked his blade clean afterward?

_Kami-sama_, he really was a harbinger of death in more ways than one.

His presence was enough to kill anything, be it a person or a relationship, and it was actually his involvement in the affairs of the dead which had triggered the Winter war. And now, they had been fighting relentlessly for seven years, and still, neither side had really made any progress.

He might have been insanely powerful, but what use was his power if he couldn't even bring the conflict to an end, preoccupied as he was by his family's safety, exiled in a foreign country among complete strangers who would never trust or like him or try to see under the mask, and who were more ignorant and prejudiced than a bunch of five year old kids?

But all of this wasn't important as long as he carried on and fought for Aizen's fall.

And so he did.

He pushed the students over their limits and over again, trained them restlessly during detention hours, dueling club and DADA classes, gave them tons of hands on homework, and forced them to pair up and mingle together without caring about the House they were in.

And as an example, he had more often that not paired up Gryffindors and Slytherins together, and the ones who obviously hated each other even more so. Potter and Malfoy, Weasley and Zabini were a good exemple of that. He had even had some fun listening to the hissed 'conversations', and deducting hundreds of points as they kept playing stupid and ignoring his warnings not to insult the other Houses.

His life sucked, but the good part was that as a teacher, he could make life a living hell for the students as well. Yes, it was appallingly pathetic, but well... he didn't have anything better to do when he was teaching.

o-O-o

Hermione Granger sighed. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, eating lunch, or at least trying to. The simple process of loading her fork with a mouthful of mashed potatoes and lifting it to her lips before munching and swallowing was made incredibly difficult when subjected to the atrocious torture of Ron stuffing his face right opposite her, and both her friends whining about the Defense pairings for the end of the year assignment.

Seriously, for a man who had seen so much and actually defeated a Dark Lord, Harry could be so immature, it wasn't even funny anymore. Finally, she had enough, and put her fork down so abruptly he it made a loud clanking noise.

"Okay, that's enough. You two, shut up. I can't stand it. Ronald, eat properly, you make me want to throw up. And for Merlin's sake, Harry, can't you grow up a little? I mean, you defeated Voldemort, hunted down his Horcruxes and got your life saved by _Narcissa Malfoy_ of all people, why is it so difficult to understand that Slytherins aren't so bad?"

She studiously ignored the shocked looks she was earning herself, and went on vigorously.

"Look at Malfoy. He's blonde, gray-eyed, attractive, and cunning and intelligent enough to get sorted in Slytherin and become its resident Prince. Get over your feud and start looking behind the appearances. He can't be all that bad, I should know! Ron was the most arrogant and disgusting git in First Year, and we're friends now, aren't we?"

Standing up, she gathered her books, and shook her head at them, before continuing, speaking louder and looking at all the students.

"And this goes for the rest of you, and for the Slytherins. _Grow up_! You're seventeen, not three, please try to see that your rivalry is utterly ridiculous, and let go of your prejudices for five minutes for once in your life!"

And with that, she spun around and started to walk away, but was stopped by a slow clapping sound. Whirling around, ready to lash out at anybody making fun of her, she was taken aback as she came face to face with Professor Kurosaki, who had a gleeful smirk plastered on his face.

"Bravo, Ms Granger. Twenty points to Gryffindor. I am glad to see that someone in this school has enough brains to see the pointlessness of this childish feud."

She flushed violently, feeling terribly embarrassed.

"P-Professor... I..."

"I am very sincere, Ms Granger." He said. "Your attitude is worth commending."

And with that, he walked away gracefully, his gait, she noticed once more, that of a predator: silent, balanced, confident,... lethal. Spinning on her heels once more, she left to go to the library.

She had dueling competition archives to search through.

* * *

><p><strong>So, Hermione snaps, and Ichigo makes the kids' life hell. <strong>

**Next chapter: A betrayal, scars, a dance and a meeting.**

**Stay tuned!**

**T.D.**


	7. Halloween

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Oh my, look at what we have here? Isn't that chapter 7 of <em>Dawn of the Moonfang<em>? *Rubs her eyes* Why, yes it is! OMG!  
>Anyway, sorry for all the people who didn't get a reply to their kind reviews: I was in the bowels of France, meaning Limousin, where I didn't have the internet... Aaaand... I'm leaving for the States the day after tomorrow. Meaning I won't be able to update before August the 4th! Sorry^^ *smirks*<br>Anyway, thank you all for your reviews, it was heart-warming to read them on my phone through the mobile version of ff . net. Unfortunately, I couldn't answer them. I had wanted to put a warning message on my profile, but my internet access chose to crash the morning of my leaving, and so... **

**So, back to the matter... Enjoy! And Review?**

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><p><span>Chapter 7:<span>

Albus Dumbledore looked at the wizards and witches gathered in his office. They had gathered once more after another attack in Northern England. A muggle village had been utterly destroyed, and it had obviously been by magic-wielding individuals. The problem, now, was to find and apprehend them, and seeing as they didn't have the faintest hint as to their identity or location, it was proving to be extremely difficult.

Sighing, he intertwined his long fingers under his chin, and gazed at his two resident spies.

"Do you have anything interesting to say about young Kurosaki, Lucius, Severus?"

The blonde shook his head.

"We haven't been in contact since my visit here." He said.

"As for me, he has been steadily avoiding me and has barely spoken to me since approximately the same time." Severus informed them.

Albus closed his eyes wearily. Why had things to be so tiring?

"Does anyone have anything to say about him?"

"I do, actually." Hermione Granger spoke. She waited until she had their undivided attention, then continued. "At the first dueling class, he spoke of dueling competition, and told us to look up his results. Well, I did. I went to the library, and got a hold of the International Dueling Federation archives. I started by looking through the Japanese tournaments, and to be honest with you, it was disappointingly easy to find him."

She paused.

"And why is that, Ms Granger?" Severus sneered.

She looked him in the eye.

"Because, Professor, ever since the year 1982, the name Kurosaki Ichigo has been at the top of every single competition podium. In other words, Professor Kurosaki has actually been the world champion every year ever since he was eight."

Heavy silence fell in the office, as the stunned witches and wizards digested the information.

"And you weren't aware of this?" Dumbledore asked his two spies.

They shook their heads simultaneously.

"He never spoke about it. And strangely enough, while we were in Japan, he never left for anything remotely like that."

"What else did you find out, Hermione?" The Headmaster asked.

Hermione dug into her school bag, and pulled out a creamy folder.

"There wasn't much about him in the books, except for the list of his achievements and victories, which was quite impressive, I must say. Ever since he entered the International Dueling scene, he has won every single competition, and that includes the adult category once he turned fifteen."

McGonagall frowned.

"He dueled against adults even when he was underage?" She questioned skeptically.

Hermione nodded.

"Yes. It says in _History and Tradition of the Dueling Arts_ that he got a special permission from the Federation to compete in the upper category since he had already been sacred champion several times with the underage competitors. He even passed several tests before they agreed to it."

She passed around a three-pages long list of all the competitions the man had won, and waited for everyone to have read it. There were lots of gasps and impressed comments, before the list finally came back to her, and she moved on to the next piece of research.

"I also found several press articles, which proved to be far more informative."

She lifted an article, and enlarged it so that everyone could see the beaming kid with hair a startling shade of orange waving at the camera from within the arms of a beautiful, gentle-looking woman with barely darker hair.

"They say his mother was a witch, and his father a squib, but he showed a surprising amount of power for someone so young. He always played fair, and proved to be extremely kind to everyone, a kid who, quote 'smiles like he has just caught the moon, and answers our questions very politely' unquote."

Ignoring the disbelieving noises from the Order members, she replaced the article by another. In this one, Ichigo was standing with his family before a grave, his head bent and they were fairly certain there were tear tracks on his cheeks. The title claimed: _Dueling Prodigy's mother killed in a freak accident!_

"His mother, Masaki Kurosaki, died when he was nine. The twins were two at the time. This year, he literally crushed all of his opponents, to the point that after the final duel, he had more than a hundred points on the second. And then...

There was a sharp knock, before the door opened. Startled, Hermione didn't have time to conceal the still floating and enlarged article, as Professor Kurosaki stepped in the room. The man glanced at them, before his gaze caught the thing, and his head jerked violently, as if he had just been slapped. He froze, staring at the picture, before he looked at them, his eyes settling on the still forms of Lucius and Severus.

"It seems I am interrupting... I will leave you to your research, then." He said in a perfectly controlled tone, which, for some reason, stung far more than if he had been screaming at the top of his lungs. He turned around and started walking to the exit.

"Wait, Ichigo..." Lucius started, but stopped, at a loss for words.

The man paused at the door, and slowly turned around, his eyes narrowed at the two former Death Eaters, before speaking softly.

"Never in my life... have I ever been so disappointed." He murmured.

And then, he was gone, and the door was clicking shut very quietly behind him. The Order members looked at each other, feeling terribly ashamed of themselves, and deeply unsettled by the even tone with which the man had reacted.

No screaming, no accusations, nothing. It was if the young teacher didn't care anymore. His features had remained blank and expressionless, his eyes, hard and cold. It was as if he was so used to betrayal that theirs mattered very little, and only added to an already scarily heavy pile of burdens.

And for some reason, that made them feel even worse.

o-O-o

Ichigo stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and, the gargoyle back in place, slumped against the wall, hiding his face behind his hand. It had happened again. But this time, they had actually dug into his past, and invaded his privacy.

Of course, he _had_ told the students to look him up if they wanted to know his results in dueling competitions, but never had he even imagined that they would actually use it for their own purposes, to determine whether he was dangerous or not, and if they should trust him or not.

And the look on Severus and Lucius' face... That guilt mixed with defiance, the friend in them had already been subdued by their pride and need for knowledge, he could tell. He had been aware this would happen ever since he had heard their first conversation, and he had prepared for such an occurrence, but then, why did it hurt this much?

He let out a strangled gasp and grabbed at his chest, his nails digging into his face, but he didn't care. The pain was anchoring him to reality, and loath as he was to admit it, right now, he really needed to stay alert. He couldn't allow himself to be seen in this state by a student, and if he stayed in the middle of the hallway, then it was quite likely to happen.

Slowly, painfully, he straightened up and wiped his face of any parasitic emotions, before smoothing his robes with an elegant gesture of the hand. He then started to head for his rooms, but changed his min halfway there.

He wouldn't be able to vent in his chambers, unless he wanted to level Hogwarts, and that was definitely not his intention. The castle was a sentient being of infinite wisdom and power, and he deeply admired her. He could never hurt her.

But he wasn't aware of the existence of any dueling rooms either, so that left the Quidditch Pitch and the Forbidden Forest. Spinning around in the middle of the corridor, he strode to the Entrance Hall, and exited the castle, walked past the lake, and entered the forest.

Instantly, he noticed the ominous silence under the trees, and, at the same time, the very tiny noises betraying the fact that there were living creatures here. He walked deeper and deeper into the forest, his feet barely ruffling the undergrowth, and then, he stopped in a clearing. It was quite large, well-defined, almost a perfect circle. It would be perfect.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small pill that would allow him to exit his body and started to put it into his mouth, before he changed his mind. At the moment, it was his physical body which truly needed a release, and training in his spirit form would never be as satisfying as exhausting himself in his true, material form.

Nodding to himself, he put the _gikongan_ back into his pocket, and took off his outer robe, before folding it neatly and leaving it by the root of a large tree, under a few protection spells. Then, he cast a couple wards so that his reiatsu wouldn't be seen or felt by anyone out there, and then walked to the center of the clearing.

He rolled his shoulders and tilted his head from side to side, stretching meticulously and removing all kinks in his back, before he allowed reiatsu to trickle down his arms and to his hands, were it concentrated and formed two long blades. The first one was a deep crimson red with lines of shimmering black dancing along its edges, and a silver guard, while the second one was a deep dark blue with silver veins waving their way down from the hilt to the tip of the blade. The guard was a startling shade of white.

Ichigo smiled softly as he caressed the handle of his Zanpakutôs, and dropped into a low combat stance, left hand above the knee of his extended left leg and blade at a perpendicular angle, while his other leg was bent, and the black and crimson sword was raised to his face and pointed forward. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, before suddenly, he sprung into action.

And for the following two hours, he was twirling, slashing, sweeping, spinning and jumping, ducking and diving, disappearing in a flash and then reappearing at the other end of the clearing, his blades gleaming fiercely in the sunlight as his reiatsu fluctuated, and rose and fell and rose and fell, just like the chest of a breathing man.

And truly, that's what it was, for without his reiatsu, Ichigo was nothing. He lived to protect, lived to fight and save, and without his power, he was useless. Without his power, he couldn't do a thing. Without his power, he was helpless, and couldn't ever hope to put an end to this war.

And there, in this clearing deep in a place people feared because of its inhabitants, he felt at home, because those creatures were shunned because of their difference. Because those creatures, as different from him as they may be, were still very similar. They kept to themselves, because the only way they could find comfort and comprehension was with each other.

And so he did, keeping to himself because he was the only one of his kin, and the only one who could understand himself.

Reiatsu particles assembled in front of him, and he saw Shiro materialize, but he didn't care. He lunged at him, and the fight started anew, and he cut and slashed and parried, just like before. The only difference was that he actually had an opponent this time, and didn't have to pretend to counter and attack.

They looked at each other over their locked blades, and they could see how deeply they enjoyed this, how the physical pain made the hurt go away, how the thrill of the fight crushed the heartbreak, how the adrenaline made all the betrayals insignificant and pointless.

He was a being, _the_ being, the only one who had truly succeeded at evolution, though nobody knew that yet, and he didn't plan on making it known anytime soon. His Hollow was himself, and he was his Hollow, just like his Zanpakutôs were as much him as he was them.

Together, they danced a lethal dance of blood, and as the crimson drops splattered the ground and waltzed in the air, they couldn't help but laugh as for the first time in a long time, they felt like they truly belonged.

Here, they were alone.

Here, they could let go of all the masks and pretenses, and truly be themselves.

Here, there was nothing but power and them, and their bond, this unbreakable bond between two parts of the same soul, sharing the same body, feeling the same emotions, living the same events, and fighting against annihilation together.

They were one, and nobody could ever change that.

o-O-o

When he emerged from the Forbidden Forest, Ichigo felt far better. His robes slung over his arm, he walked up to the castle, completely drenched in sweat, his hair matted with blood and perspiration, his clothes wrinkled and stained, though the dark color would conceal that.

He made his way up the front steps and entered the Entrance Hall, only to be met with the sight of a group of people he really didn't want to see. He was in a better mood than he had been for ages, and now they had to show up and ruin it.

Inwardly sighing, he felt his head jerk as Shiro threatened to gut them all if they didn't move this instant in the back of his mind, and had to hold back a snicker as the Hollow kept ranting out death threats they couldn't hear.

Outwardly, though, his expression didn't change, bar the hardening of his eyes.

"What is it?" He asked evenly.

"Ichigo, my boy, are you okay? You look dreadful." Dumbledore asked.

He scowled.

"Yes, I am fine. What are you all doing here, anyway?"

"We were worried for you..." Lucius started, but was interrupted by a snort from the young man.

"Oh, please. Worried? Stop pulling my leg me, will you? Anyway, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, as I am sure Ms Granger's research demonstrated, and I do not think a quick stroll outside could be considered dangerous."

"A quick stroll?" Severus choked. "You were gone for more than four hours! And you were seen entering the bloody Forbidden Forest! Do you know how dangerous it is?"

He shrugged.

"I am here, am I not? Now if you will excuse me, I need a bath, and a good night of sleep. Goodnight."

He made to side-step them, but was stopped by an iron-grip on his arm, and turned around slowly, glaring at the gruff man with a wooden leg and a freaky electric blue eye.

"Let go."

"You have some things to explain, boy." The man said. "We want answers."

Ichigo stiffened and straightened up.

"Let. go. of. me." He repeated, slowly.

"Answer us first."

The young Shinigami's eyes flashed, the golden left eye turning into a swirling pool of molten gold.

"I have _nothing_ to tell any of you. I do not even know your name, while you obviously know all of me, and I have no intention of giving you satisfaction."

"We are at war, boy."

"What do I care?" He shot right back. "This war is none of my concern. I am no Death Eater, and that is all you need to know."

"Prove it then! Show us your left arm!"

Ichigo jerked.

"And why would I?"

"Because your constant hiding of your forearms makes for a perfect little Death Eater in hiding, that's why." A man with shoulder-length hair and blue eyes growled lowly.

Ichigo hesitated. He didn't want them to see. And yet, if he showed them, maybe, just maybe they would leave him alone.

**'It won't be for long, ya know. But if ya yield for tha', they'll demand more an' more 'til there are no secrets left.'** Shiro remarked quietly.

He felt his head jerk once more as exhaustion started to catch up to him with the slow fading of adrenaline from his system, and closed his eyes wearily. His shoulders slumped, and he turned around completely.

"Very well." He said. "I will show you. But you will not bother me again after that."

Slowly, very slowly, he reached up to his left forearm, and paused as the tip of his fingers brushed the thick leather of the black protections.

_Better get this over with_, he thought, and unfastened the material from his skin.

The moment it fell away from his arm and revealed the naked flesh, horrified gasps echoed around the room. There, on the tanned skin, were dozens and dozens of scars, of every shape and form, some old and almost faded, others recent and contrasting sharply against the tan skin. Several looked like he had slit his wrists, while a multitude of crisscrossed marks and sharp, tiny scars climbed up the the crook of his elbow -a memory of the time when a building had exploded and he had thrown himself in front of a division member, thus getting stabbed everywhere with debris, shards of glass and splinters of wood. It hadn't been pretty.

But the most hideous was the thick, jagged scar running all the way from his wrist to his elbow, and then up his bicep and under his shirt. Something his robes and a glamor had successfully hidden until now.

"As I said," he said after a moment, "I am no Death Eater. Now if your morbid curiosity has been satisfied, I really need to wash up."

The gruff man had let go of him, shocked by the state of his arms, and he took a step back as he re-wrapped the leather protection. Without another word, he turned on his heels and left them standing there, looking like they had been thunderstruck.

Shiro kept spitting out insults all the way up to his rooms, but he paid him no mind, and just took a nice, long bath to relax his sore muscles, and then directly collapsed on his bed. He was asleep before his head had even touched the pillow.

o-O-o

People avoided talking to him for the next few days, and for that, he was grateful. He really didn't need a bunch of idiots trying to get the story of his scars out of him, and already had enough on his plate trying to not blow up at the pitying and speculative glances thrown his way by the staff and students involved with the Order of the Phoenix.

His lessons were going pretty well, and he found himself noticing that the rate of name-calling between the two rival houses had diminished to almost nothing. Now that was positive.

And just like that, Halloween suddenly came.

"I hope nothing happens this time." He heard McGonagall say to Dumbledore the day before Halloween at dinner.

He rose an inner eyebrow, but kept eating, listening silently to the conversation.

"Well, I don't think there will be a troll in the girls' bathrooms again, Minerva." The old man said. "And since we aren't hosting any tournament, there is no fearing bad surprises concerning the candidates."

She pursed her lips, and glanced at the Gryffindor table.

"Potter looks tense." She observed.

Dumbledore smiled.

"This I can understand, Minerva. But we can only hope all will be alright."

So Halloween was traditionally a time when things went awry? Now that was interesting. Maybe it was the occasion Aizen would take to act if he was indeed aware of the Wizarding Community's existence. But he would be there to take care of any spiritual threat, and if there were too much enemies, he could always call for back-up. Ichigo returned to his meal, never noticing the calculating glances thrown his way by most of the staff, and Order involved students.

And even if he had seen them, he would have ignored it. He didn't want those people's concern. He was grown-up warrior, an experienced fighter, Master Duellist, had five Masteries and was a well-known Shinigami captain and Head of the prestigious Shihouin Clan.

Truly, his life wasn't in the World of the Living, but in the Spirit Realm. He would only be here for a little time, such insignificant time compared to the eternity he would have once he went back to the Soul Society...

To hell with the wizards and their petty suspicions.

Yet, he couldn't, for some reason, shake off the dull ache in his chest. But he could very well ignore it.

o-O-o

On Halloween, all classes had been canceled as usual, so that the students got a brief break and could freely enjoy the celebration. Grinning pumpkins had been hung up in the Great Hall, along with tons of floating candles and other decorations such as cobwebs, enchanted spiders, snakes and so on.

Nobody had come disguised, but instead, they had all put on their best robes, since there was going to be a dance after dinner. Ichigo thought it was a strange arrangement, putting a ball after a seated dinner, but he said nothing, and honestly, he truly didn't care. What Dumbledore wanted, Dumbledore would do, and he wasn't about to talk to the man over such trivial matters. He liked his sanity where it was, thank you very much.

However, when he entered the Hall, clad in blood red robes he found were appropriate for the occasion, he was surprised to find a lot more people there than he had expected, and to actually understand that the old coot had invited the students' parents without even telling him. Gritting his teeth as he realized the implications: Lucius would be there.

_God damn it. _

Ignoring the stares, fingers pointing at him and not-so-discreet whispers of the students to their intrigued and somewhat worried parents, he made his way over to the Head table and sat down in his usual seat, between Dumbledore and Snape. He waited like everybody for the Headmaster to finish his speech, and then gleefully tucked in his helping of the feast.

_Rukongai_ souls may be identified as potential Shinigamis by the fact that they needed to eat, but he had an unbelievable amount of reiatsu to keep in his body at all times, and so he had to get a lot of food to sustain himself, and compensate for the calories his spirit power kept burning. That was one of the reasons he was actually very thin under his muscles, and he would probably never have to worry about getting fat.

Shiro snickered in his mind, but he ignored him, used to the Hollows' antics by now. He ate absently, enjoying the taste of the food nonetheless, and once he was finished, leaned back in his seat to watch the goings on in the Great Hall. The students were chatting excitedly with their parents and friends, the adults getting introduced by their children when they didn't know each other already, and the teachers were also talking animatedly, except for Snape and himself, not that he cared.

The feast ended, and Dumbledore stood up. He held his arms wide open in a welcoming gesture, and, as everybody stood, ready for the second part of the evening to begin, he announced:

"Let the dance... begin!"

Instantly, the tables and benches disappeared, leaving a wide space to use as a dance floor, and a stage appeared off to the side, where a group he deduced from the hysterical shouting was called the Weird Sisters started to play a dissonant and screechy but well-known song. The young man grimaced slightly as the sound hurt his oversensitive ears. Sometimes, having enhanced senses wasn't all that great.

He moved over to stand by the wall, in the shadows, were he could stand forgotten and unseen, and observe quietly. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, and settled himself for a night of watching.

His father was happily mingling with the staff members and even some parents, which seemed to like him well enough. But he had to admit that the man's goofiness could be amusing so long as he kept his perverted jokes to himself, and that was something he knew very well how to do. Contrarily to him, the teachers had liked Isshin at first sight. He was the easy-going, happy-go-lucky type of guy whose intended stupidity refreshed the atmosphere, and he guessed it was more attractive than his own dark, brooding appearance. Isshin symbolized family and carelessness, while his mere presence raised people's hackles. He reeked of death and war, and he knew it. Though humans couldn't understand what exactly made them stay away and distrust him, he was perfectly aware of the fact that it was actually because he reminded them of a past and possibility they'd rather forget.

War and blood weren't one's cup of tea, you see, and he was the perfect incarnation of both of them, by his hair color, and whole demeanor.

Shaking himself from this dangerous train of thought, Ichigo looked around the room, and quickly spotted Yuzu. She was wearing a dark blue dress which enhanced the soft blonde of her hair and large gray eyes, and he couldn't help but smile as she laughed at something her partner, a Slytherin -wasn't his name Nott?- said. He made a quick note in his mind to watch the relationship from afar, and if they seemed serious and he saw Yuzu starting to get attached, to have a word with the boy. As the girls' big brother, it was, after all, his job to make sure they didn't get hurt. And Yuzu was so fragile and naive...

A flash of dark green caught his attention, and he turned to the side, to see Karin, clad in a long dress of deep dark green, dance by in the arms of someone he was pretty sure was none other than Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy's best friend. She had her black hair tied back by two small braids on either side of her head, and looked quite happy were she was, her eyes locked with her partner's blue gaze, and a content look on her features instead of her usual scowl.

_How much of his sisters' life had his problems made him miss? _

He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed this development! But he decided to follow the exact same line of conduct he would with Yuzu and Theodore Nott, and see what would come out of the relationship before he stepped in and tested their motivations and sincerity. He sighed slightly, and ran a weary hand over his eyes.

"Tired?"

He looked up, only to find a blonde woman smiling at him, dark blue eyes enigmatic as she gazed at him. She was wearing a dark one-shoulder dress which hugged her curves very nicely before falling down onto the floor in soft waves. Sapphire earrings and a matching pendant shone along her neck and on her throat, and her silky fair hair had been pulled back in a lose but intricate bun, giving her an air of elegant nonchalance.

"Yes. Screaming teenagers and raging hormones." He said pleasantly.

Her smile turned secretive.

"I understand what you mean. Mr...?"

"Kurosaki. Kurosaki Ichigo. Defense teacher, though you probably already knew that."

She nodded as he kissed her knuckles, delicately holding her aristocratic hand in his for a very gentlemanly baisemain.

"A pleasure, Mr Kurosaki. I must say, it's not everyday that Hogwarts gets such an interesting teacher as you. I'm afraid the previous ones have been somewhat... lacking."

He chuckled. For some reason, he already liked this woman. She was very beautiful, though most likely the mother of one of the students here, and seemed to actually be able to hold a decent conversation. Pureblood manners, no doubt. He could do with that.

"Yes, that is what I heard, but I must admit I never really dug into the rumors. I am not a fan of gossip."

She nodded, chuckling quietly, as a waltz started playing, and most of the students left the dance floor to get some refreshments before the next 'animated' dance.

"Well, Mr Kurosaki, rather than standing there all night, why don't you invite me to dance?"

He looked at her, taking in the blue eyes dancing with laughter, and couldn't help a smile. He held out an arm.

"With pleasure, madame. May I have this dance?"

"You may, Mr Kurosaki." She answered, slipping her arm under his.

He led her to the dance floor, her flowing black dress and immaculate blonde hair contrasting sharply with his own blood red robes and dark gait, and they faced each other. Putting a hand on her waist delicately while holding her hand in his own free palm, he started taking perfect steps around the floor, easily side-stepping the few couples dancing, twirling her around effortlessly even as she followed his lead with practiced ease. They danced silently, enjoying the feeling of having a talented and trustworthy partner, and for the first time since the whole fiasco with Severus and Lucius, Ichigo found himself at peace, almost content, and glad to just follow the music and concentrate on his graceful partner.

When the song ended, he bowed as she curtsied, and almost jumped when thunderous applause thundered through the hall. A quick glance was enough to assert the fact that students, parents and teachers alike had crowded around the dance floor and watched them dance silently. And it was only then that he realized that the other couples who had been dancing at the beginning of the waltz had left the dance floor for them to have it to themselves.

**'My, _Aibou_, that's one hell of an impression ya made on 'hem! They're all gonna wanna dance with ya now, ya know?'**

Ichigo inwardly scowled as Shiro mocked him, but carefully kept his features blank as he led his partner, whose name he still didn't know, back to his spot by the wall.

"You are an excellent dancer." She said. "Except for my husband, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting someone as talented as you are."

He bowed lightly.

"Why, thank you, madame." He said. "The pleasure was all mine, trust me. You are a very graceful partner."

She smiled, obviously pleased by the compliment.

"I heard," she said after a little while, "that you were trying to get the houses to stop with the rivalry."

He nodded.

"Indeed. I believe that if there was one lesson to be drawn from the war, then it would be unity. Rivalry is healthy, as long as it is playful and good-natured -in Quidditch, for example. But taking it to the point that every Slytherin is a slimy Death Eater, all Dark magic is evil, and Gryffindors are merely sentimental morons, is going too far. Dangerously so."

Her smile widened.

"My son is actually one of the leaders of the factions. He sent a letter to my husband ranting and raving about your taking points every time you heard an insult, it was very amusing."

He rose an eyebrow.

"Really? I am glad to see that you do not seem to share his opinion."

She gave a light laugh.

"No, I do not indeed. I am over these petty feuds, and believe like you. Unfortunately, my son seems to have decided that glaring at his childhood rival would be a good way to spend the evening." Seeing his look, she elaborated. "Harry Potter. The two never have never got along ever since first year."

Deciding that he would play her game, he smirked.

"So your son is a seventh year? A clue for me?"

Her smile turned sly.

"Well, he has certain traits from me..."

He searched through his mind quickly, privileging the Slytherins, as the previous conversation hinted at a Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry. There was only one student with such blonde hair and sharp features, and that was... He turned his head to look at her, eyes widening a little.

"Draco Malfoy?" He asked, glancing over at the boy. The blonde was sitting with Pansy Parkinson practically lounging on his lap, and glaring heatedly at the laughing Harry Potter, who was currently dancing with Ginny Weasley.

"Bravo, Mr Kurosaki. I am Narcissa Malfoy, née Black."

He inclined his head and politely brushed his lips against the back of her hand once more.

"Pleased to officially meet you, Lady Malfoy."

"Narcissa."

She turned to look at the two new arrivals and smiled.

"Lucius, Severus. What a joy to see you again, old friend." She said to the Potions Master even as he kissed her hand. "It has been a very long time."

"Indeed it has, Narcissa. I see you have met Ichigo."

Onyx eyes darted over to Ichigo right as Lucius looked at him, and Narcissa turned back to him, only to find that her knew acquaintance was unusually tense.

"Well, I will leave you to your husband then, Lady Malfoy. Enjoy your evening."

"Oh no, please, Mr Kurosaki, stay with us, really. Why leave so soon? And you seem to know my friend Severus Snape. And this is my husband, Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father."

The man's formerly warm eyes were icy as he gazed at her husband and friend.

"We have met." He said coldly.

"Really?" She pretended not to notice the change of atmosphere, wanting to shed light on this new mystery.

"Indeed. It was a long time ago, in Japan. But I must confess that we were only briefly acquainted, nothing more."

She nodded in understanding, though it was clear he was not saying the whole truth. But she didn't mind. She would find out sooner or later, through her husband or Severus.

"So, tell me, how is wizarding society in Japan? Is it anything like ours?" She asked curiously.

"Not really," he started, "it's more-"

His head snapped to the side as he trailed off, looking somewhere in the distance, and his whole body tensed up.

"Mr Kurosaki?" She asked, concerned.

He turned back to her all of a sudden, and she was startled by the sudden worry creasing his forehead.

"Please excuse me, Lady Malfoy, I have to go. I am afraid this matter really cannot be delayed. I apologize for this abrupt departure."

The sincerity in his eyes was unmistakable, and she nodded.

"Of course. Don't worry, Mr Kurosaki, I have Severus and Lucius to entertain me."

He gave her a quick, grateful smile, and bowed to kiss her knuckles in farewell.

"Good evening, Lady Malfoy."

He spun on his heels and made his way out. By the time he was out the doors, he was already running.

o-O-o

He ran, every fiber of his being ready for battle as adrenaline started pumping in his body. He could feel it in every one of his veins, every instinct screaming at him, every desire to fight and spill blood the presence awakened in him.

It was like a siren's song, an enthralling promise, and he could feel his blood singing in his veins, his heart thumping in anticipation at the prospect of the fight.

The signature call of a Hollow.

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><p><strong>Oh my, what's gonna happen? And dear Narcissa made an appearance! I like her, hehe^^! <strong>

**Next time: More dancing, a split between friends, some 'Harry-thinking' and letters from Byakuya!**

**Review?**


	8. A Split, Some Thinking and Letters

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everybody! I'm back! I tried to answer the reviews I got during my stay abroad, but I couldn't get an internet access every day, so sorry for everyone who didn't get an answer to their review! Thank you to all those who read and reviewed chapter 7, by the way, it really warmed my heart when I read them! Thank you very much, and here's chapter 8, I hope you enjoy it! <strong>

**Also, _Elistax_ was kind enough to start drawing my Ichigo, I'll post the link on my profile once she (?) gives me the okay for it^^! Thank you Elistax! I loved the sketch and I'm happy my version of Ichigo inspired you! This chapter's dedicated to you and _Manga Reader 125_, whose reviews are always very helpful, by the way!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 8:<span> **  
><strong>

The Entrance doors were wide open, something he had considered foolish before the ball, but he couldn't be more grateful for now. He dashed out and didn't even take the time to shed his mortal body. The Hollows, though there were several, were no threat to him, and he would be able to take care of them easily enough even without the support of his full power and hardened spiritual body.

He stopped right outside the doors, standing at the top of the front steps, and quickly squashed the thought that the sight of the park and the lake shining under the moonlight truly was enchanting. He had no time for thoughts such as these. For now, he had to eradicate the Hollows before they howled, were seen by someone, or even worse, caused damage.

He tilted his head upwards, and spotted them easily enough. Several were already on the roof, slowly making their way down, while an entire flock was flying around the towers. Channeling his reiatsu in his arms, he let his blades materialize in his hands, but just as he was about to jump in the air, he hesitated.

Wouldn't it be easier and quicker to actually get rid of most of the menace by using an attack which would spread out on a wide range? A cero, for example? Ichigo frowned. The problem with the Cero would be that the light might be seen by the people in Hogsmeade, students and parents who had snuck out form the party, and even the Hollows, who would then be able to dodge.

No, using the way of the Assassin would be the best option in this case. His hands closed over the handle of the blades which had been hovering gently in the air an inch away from his palms, and he straightened up. He shrugged out of his crimson robes to go undetected, and crouched down to the ground.

This would be easy. But it would be a good outlet.

Ichigo propelled himself in the air, not even bothering to use Shunpo. The slightest variation in the local spirit particles might alert the creatures to the presence of another spiritual being, and seeing as he already had conjured his Zanpakutôs, he didn't want to take any other risk. He was going to do this silently, invisibly, like the Assassin he had been trained to be.

The Hollows would never even know he was here before they were already dead.

And as usual, there wouldn't be a single trace left.

o-O-o

He landed gracefully and soundlessly, on his feet, barely three minutes later. Jerking his blades in one wide ark to rid them of blood, he let them disintegrate into a dust of spirit particles, before stretching his arms carefully, and nodding to himself. This had been easy. There had been thirty Hollows, and he had only had to jump from one to the other, slashing them down effortlessly and enjoying the wind on his face, before he was back to the ground, safe and sound, and without having had to raise his reiatsu in the slightest.

He dug in his pocket and quickly found the soul pager, which he flipped open, before pressing on the first button.

"_Akon._"

"_Kurosaki Ichigo here. I just had a run-in with a group of thirty Hollows._"

"_Lord Shihouin! Really? Anything important?_"

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair.

"_Not really. They were all below Menos class, very weak, almost sluggish. Taking care of them was very easy._"

He could hear the gritting noise of someone scribbling, and the rapid tapping sound of someone typing on a keyboard in the background. Akon made a perplexed grunt.

"_I see. Anything else? Where are you, Kurosaki-taichou?_"

"_Hogwarts. What is slightly preoccupying is that they were trying to attack here, obviously. It means that the wizarding world is not safe from them anymore._"

There was frantic whispering on the other line by now, and he found himself frowning.

"_Was this the first time you encountered them here?_" Akon asked finally.

"_Indeed._" Ichigo said. "_I must confess I am surprised as well. The captain-commander did say that there had been a worrying increase in the number of attacks, and apart from tonight, I have yet to feel a single one. And those were extremely weak._"

Both kept silent for a while. Akon was writing something, and Ichigo was looking at the lake unseeingly.

"_Have the attacks continued since between my arrival in England and tonight?_" He finally asked.

"_I don't think so, Kurosaki-taichou, but I will check and send you a report by the next owl._"

Ichigo nodded.

"_Yes, thank you, Akon. I must go now. I trust the division is well?_"

"_It is, Kurosaki-taichou. You will have the report at the same time as the next stack of paperwork. I will also inform the Captain-Commander about this new development._"

"_Good._"

Ichigo hung up and slid the phone back into his pocket, but he didn't leave immediately. He had walked while on the phone, and ended up by the lake, standing very straight and gazing at the shimmering water slowly undulating under the bright light of the moon. He crossed his arms over his chest.

Everything had been -was so peaceful... He could hear faint echoes of music, laughter and conversations from the Greta Hall, see the lights from the party on the grass, feel the fresh nightly breeze wave its way gently through his hair, caress his arms, whisper soft nothings into his ears... So much peace everywhere around him, and yet, he knew that the aborted attack was the signal that something much more sinister was starting.

He had hoped Aizen would give up on England and just focus on Japan, though that division of his forces would probably allow Soul Society some respite since they would have less enemies to fight. But on the other hand, didn't that mean that the man was growing extremely confident? And if that was the case, then what was the reason for such confidence? Surely, he hadn't discovered another way to improve his Arrancars! Or had he?

Ichigo bowed his head and rubbed at the bridge of his nose tiredly. He felt old, weary, exhausted, so exhausted he only wanted to curl up in a hole somewhere and die peacefully. But he knew that death would hardly be a way to get freedom, for the good reason that it would only tie him more closely to Soul Society. As a dead soul, he would have no choice left but to become a full Shinigami, and even if he was already a member of Seireitei for all intents and purposes, at least he had a mortal life to escape to sometimes.

But now, even his physical body, family and powers seemed to weigh him down, crush him until there was nothing left, and he found that he felt too tired to care anymore...

**"Ya're depressed again."**

He looked up, slightly startled. Shiro had materialized beside him, and he hadn't even noticed.

**"Ya think too hard." **The Hollow went on. **"Stop it, I'm gonna be deaf by the end o' the night at this rate!"**

Ichigo looked at him in disbelief, but then, his doppelganger turned to look at him with an impish grin, and suddenly, he couldn't help it, and burst out laughing. The confused expression on his evil twin's face was enough to send him into another fit when he had finally managed to calm down a bit, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed, long peels of laughter with an hysterical edge to them, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

It had been so long since he had laughed, so long since he had just let go of his emotions, that he _couldn't_ care. At that moment, he was releasing a tiny fraction of his pent up feelings, and it felt damn good. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn't have stopped anyway.

Because he might be a warrior, and Assassin, a Clan Head, a wizard and a hybrid, he was still human, and that meant that he had to let out the emotions he kept bottling up if he didn't want to lose his sanity.

But then again, he wasn't quite sure he was really sane to begin with. In his opinion, someone with three people living inside their head and talking back was most likely completely bonkers, and he wouldn't deny it if someone finally told him he was completely off his rocker.

**"Glad ta see I amuse ya."** Shiro huffed, but there was no bite to his words. In fact, he looked rather pleased with himself, if the mischievous light in his eyes was anything to go by.

Ichigo chuckled lowly.

"Sorry."

A soft sigh.

**"It's okay, ya know. So long as ya're happy..."**

He couldn't help the sudden jerk of his head at the comment, and looked up to see the albino staring at the lake pensively. It was a strange expression on his face, to be perfectly honest, but at the same time, it somehow suited him. Ichigo smiled softly.

"Thank you. I'm sorry. I suppose it's pouring cats and dogs in there..."

Shiro shrugged.

**"Yeah, well... Ya get used ta it after a while, I guess. But I'd rather 'ave a nice shiny rainbow and sun rather than tha' ominous sky, ya know..."**

Ichigo didn't answer. He knew he couldn't promise anything, and so did his evil twin. And the man understood perfectly, because he was part of him, and knew what he felt, why and the circumstances behind everything. So he wouldn't mock or scold him. Just... help him as much as he could.

They stayed there for a while, they couldn't have said how long, merely staring at the lake and admiring the sight in companionable silence. In the end, they were interrupted by none other than Narcissa Malfoy.

"Mr Kurosaki?"

He turned around, vaguely noticing that Shiro had vanished again, and saw the blonde woman, flanked by her husband and friend, fair hair glistening gently under the moonlight.

"Lady Malfoy."

"Are you alright? You left quite in a hurry earlier, and since it's been two hours already, we were getting worried..."

She was looking at him, genuine concern in her deep blue eyes, and he had to bite his tongue to refrain from snorting at the plural. _They_ were worried? More like she was concerned, and they were afraid he had gone off to plan a devastating attack on innocent families!

"My apologies, it seems I lost all sense of time. But the view here is truly amazing, it has been a long time since I last came across something so beautiful..." He said politely.

She seemed to accept the explanation, though there was still doubt lingering in her gaze.

"Well," she said with a smile, "a lot of people saw us dance earlier, and have given to me the mission of finding out exactly what you could dance. I have a request in particular I found particularly interesting."

He rose an eyebrow.

"And that is?"

"Tango."

His eyes widened in surprise. Tango was very hard to dance, and something only people in certain circles still learned.

"Tango, really?" He paused.

It was actually one of his favorite dances. But did he feel in the mood for more dancing?

**'Ah, come on, **_**Aibou**_**, don't be boring! Just 'ave fun for once!'**

"And who actually requested this?" He asked.

She chuckled.

"Ms Greengrass."

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"A student?"

She shrugged elegantly.

"It won't be considered improper, rest assured. Even more so when everybody in the hall is dying to dance with you, and has made it widely known that I was to ask you in their stead."

He could feel his lips tug in a sly smirk.

"Very well then. But I feel I owe you another dance if you so wish."

She smiled up at him even as she took his offered arm.

"Of course. A jive, maybe?"

They made their way back to the castle, followed by the two silent wizards, and this time, the young man immediately noticed the excited whispers, stares and giggles as he entered the hall. But he ignored them dutifully, and led his partner to the dance floor once more, where they had a very good time dancing the jive **(A/N: Sorry, I have no idea if it's actually "dancing **_**the**_** jive" or "dancing **_**a**_** jive", or merely "dancing jive"... In France, we say "danser le rock", so... Someone please tell me^^)**.

Then, once the song was over, he led Narcissa back to her husband, only to find that Daphne Greengrass was standing very close. He walked over to her, greeting her parents politely, before getting to the point.

"Lady Malfoy mentioned that you would be agreeable to dancing Tango with me. Would you...?"

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips as her cheeks turned pink, and accepted his arm. Narcissa was already speaking to the band, and soon, the first notes of "Santa Maria", by Gotan Project, started playing. Daphne Greengrass, he quickly found out, was a good dancer too, if a little green in Tango. He guessed since it was such a difficult and rare dance, she hadn't had much partners to practice with.

But it didn't matter to him, as he had enough skill and balance for two. He led her confidently, focusing on her and her alone, completely forgetting about the people in the Hall, and just making sure she followed him, enjoyed herself and had the best time of her life. And when the last notes sounded, he led her back to her parents, where she was instantly surrounded by a group of giggling friends.

After that, he didn't have a single minute of peace. Girl after girl kept coming to ask for a dance, and he couldn't find it in himself to disappoint them, so he accepted each and every offer. What's more, it was a physical outlet like any other, and it took his mind off things very efficiently. He danced with Karin and Yuzu as well, Tango and Waltz respectively, and found that, at the end of the evening, he had actually enjoyed himself.

**'Told ya.'**

'Oh, shut up, you.' He mentally answered the sniggering Hollow.

For some reason, all the dancing seemed to have favorably impressed the parents as well, and he found himself talking to almost every adult in the room as the ball came to an end, and they had to leave. They wanted to thank him for indulging their daughter, for being so gentlemanly, congratulate him on his dancing skills -those were mostly Purebloods-, and so on and so on.

He was almost gaping when it was Narcissa Malfoy's turn to approach him. She and her husband were actually the last ones at Hogwarts, except from the members of the Order of the Phoenix, who were all crowded around Harry and the other Order children, and staring at him in a less than discreet manner.

"Mr Kurosaki. I thank you for this wonderful evening. I hope we meet again some day." She said with a genuine smile as she lifted her hand.

Taking it, he bowed, brushing his lips over her knuckles.

"Please call me Ichigo. I was never one for formalities. And after two dances with such a talented partner, I can hardly keep making you call me 'Mr Kurosaki'. It feels like my father." He complimented.

Her cheeks flushed very slightly. Straightening up, he nodded curtly at her husband.

"Lord Malfoy."

Some emotion he couldn't quite identify flashed through the intense gray eyes of his friend, but the man was quick to recover as usual, and the mask easily slid back into place.

"Professor Kurosaki. A word if you please?"

Ichigo stiffened.

"I am afraid I-" He was quite rudely interrupted.

"I fail to see what business you could have at three in the morning." The Potions Master drawled.

The Shinigami captain narrowed his eyes at him, but didn't answer. Narcissa was looking from one to the other, looking confused, though it would take someone used to people like the Malfoys to actually discern that.

"Very well. Speak quickly, I wish to go get some rest before classes start again."

Lucius nodded.

"Maybe we could go somewhere more... private?"

Mismatched eyes hardened.

"I have no intention of having a lengthy conversation with you, Lord Malfoy. We can talk here."

The two friends tensed a little.

"Very well." Lucius said. "Then I would like to speak about that incident in the Headmaster's office." Ichigo stiffened, but he continued. "I want to apologize for my behavior, and express my deepest regret about what happened."

The young man looked at them unblinkingly for a moment.

"Apologize? For what, me catching you?"

"Ichigo..."

"No. I trusted you. I thought you trusted me. Hell, it had never even come to my mind that you would suspect me of being a murderer, an extremist, and a ruthless killer! The thought never crossed my mind that you would do something so low as actually digging into my past when I myself obviously didn't want to talk about it. You will excuse me if I find myself a little upset by this development. So now, I will leave and get some rest as I had originally planned. Be kind enough to refrain from approaching me in the future. Lady Malfoy." He saluted before turning on his heels.

"Ichigo..."

He stopped, and turned.

"You may not believe it when I say this, but whether you accept it or not, Japan is at war. A restless, devastating war. Dozens of people die each day. To me, this incident only proves a teaching I was foolish enough to believe wrong when it comes to you. It is to never trust anyone, it makes betrayal easier." He turned back, and started walking away again. "Goodnight, Lord Malfoy, Professor Snape."

And in a sweep of blood red robes, he was gone from the hall.

o-O-o

Ichigo held back a sigh as he watched the students go through their drills. Three days after the Halloween Ball, he felt people watching him constantly, had girls giggling whenever he did something, and more people staring at him. It seemed that his dancing skills had propelled him at the top of the most eligible bachelor list. Not that he hadn't been before, but that proof that he actually didn't bite when you dared talk to him had destroyed his aloof reputation, and this new accessibility made girls -and boys- more hopeful.

He cursed his luck.

But that wasn't the worst. The worst was actually having to put up with Severus' unwavering stare each and every time they were in the same room, and whenever they weren't, there always -except when he was teaching or sleeping- was someone watching him. And it was damn annoying.

Unfortunately, his dueling classes attracted more and more people, among the staff, that is, and most of them being part of the Order of the Phoenix, they didn't pass on the chance to invite other members, and watched him some more.

To be quite frank, had Shiro not been spewing insults and derogatory comments in the back of his mind, effectively distracting him, he was quite sure he would have snapped and killed them already. Right now, as they watched Blaise Zabini spar with Karin, the Hollow was watching through his eyes, and making observations. He knew the resurfacing of his doppelganger made his eyes swirl like pools of liquid, but he didn't really care, and just listened to the albino, giving his opinion from time to time.

He watched as Karin feinted and then attacked, before ducking as Zabini countered quickly and then started taking the offensive. Those two seemed to get along splendidly, and he was starting to think he would really have to have a talk with the boy. But it could wait some more. After all, if the boy really was a Slytherin, then he was perfectly aware of the fact he was being watched, and an interrogation was coming, thus making it _very_ foolish to try and lead on the young teacher's sister.

"That is enough, you two. Zabini, you have to improve your feints. And you, Karin, work on your strength. Your blows are too weak."

They nodded at him and stepped aside.

"Next, Malfoy and Greengrass."

Now, Greengrass was a good girl. Though he had danced with her, she hadn't been blushing ridiculously every time she saw him, and if her cheeks flushed in the slightest, he was quite sure it had nothing to do with a crush, and rather embarrassment: she _had_, after all, indirectly asked him if he would dance with her. The girl was intelligent, determined, studious and quiet. She was more of a watcher than a talker, and she preferred observing to speaking.

He liked her.

Malfoy, on the other hand, was completely different. The boy had great potential, but his father's job as a spy and cover as an arrogant Pureblood had turned him into a spoiled brat who would need someone to knock some sense into him and introduce him to the beauties of technology and objectivity. But Ichigo was working on that, and already, the boy was nothing like what he was at the beginning of term. When the boy finally accepted that his prejudices were utterly ridiculous and started to understand how the world worked, then he would make a very fine upper-class gentleman.

Then came Yuzu and Nott. When the war had escalated to a point where Karakura could be attacked any moment and the girls would be in danger, Isshin and him had decided it would be best if they could at least defend themselves against, at least, weak Hollows, and had therefore made them learn sword-wielding and some martial arts. Yuzu was also able to do some low-level Kidô, while Karin had reached level twenty in both offensive and binding Arts.

This intensive training had put them on par with the Seventh years Purebloods, and thus gave room for interesting duels between the girls and their respective partners. And Yuzu, against all expectations, had proven to be quite a fierce fighter. He nodded in approval as she pinned the older boy to the ground, the tip of her blade resting on his neck. They didn't move for a second, and then, her features softened as she finally came back to reality, and she blushed as she realized that she was straddling Theodore.

Ichigo inwardly rolled his eyes and gave a light, yet slightly menacing cough as catcalls started echoing from the non Slytherins in his group of advanced duelers. Yuzu seemed to be frozen in place, gaze locked with Nott's, and the young man understood that he would have to step in before she turned completely purple and suffocated from shock and embarrassment.

With a blazing glare at the whistling students, he marched forward and sneaked a gentle arm under his sister's arms, easily lifted her with one hand while grabbing the boy by the scruff of his neck with the other, so that he wouldn't have time to see anything... _inappropriate_. Yuzu's blush increased tenfold, especially when Theodore smiled at her reassuringly.

Ichigo set her down, and then stepped back.

"Next pair." He called tonelessly, turning away from the couple.

Nott would get his talk very soon. The boy's eyes were sincere when he looked at his sister, and he didn't see any reason to delay until they did something they would regret. Not that he had any intention of forbidding his sister sexual relations with boys she liked, but the boy had better not break her heart, and knowing Yuzu, if the guy she gave her virginity to dumped her, she would be crushed.

Shaking his head slightly, he let his eyes slide shut in weariness for a second, before returning his attention to the dueling students, and studiously ignoring the pointed stares of the staff. This was tiring, extremely so, and the fact that he had yet to receive the report on Hollow activity in the UK didn't help any.

Once the class was over, he went back to grading papers, only to find that he had already marked everything he had, a side-effect of the insomnia the constant vigilance imposed by the war had had on him, added to the stressful circumstances he had to live in ever since his coming to Hogwarts. Frustrated, he settled for a solitary evening of brandy-drinking by the fireplace, and then went to bed.

o-O-o

The new DADA teacher, though he was supposed to be a champion duelist, had not performed any magic ever since he had arrived, apart from that day where he demonstrated dueling, and that hardly had been satisfying. Harry watched as the puzzling man sat at the Head table with a curt nod at the staff in general, and carefully ignored Snape, whom he hadn't been talking to ever since he had walked in on their Order meeting.

The man had already been quite dark and mysterious when he had started teaching, but after the article incident, he had closed in on himself even more, and apart from the few times when the Order had cornered him and demanded answers, he had practically stopped talking altogether. He merely observed, and only opened his mouth when he absolutely had to, meaning during classes, detention and the dueling course.

Yet, he had also been very cold towards Lucius Malfoy, though none of that icy difference transpired when confronted to Draco, and he had been acting perfectly indifferent and distantly polite to the Order members that were still in school. However, the first person he had danced with at the Halloween Ball had been, strangely enough, Narcissa Malfoy, and the two had looked like they were getting along splendidly.

How peculiar.

He resented Lucius Malfoy, but had no qualms talking to his wife or son. And though he had been gravely betrayed if his behaviour and what little he had said after the incident were anything to go by, he actually remained very professional about it, kept his cool at all times, and never once yelled at anyone.

No, in fact, he dealt with the matter as if it was common occurrence. That man was a mystery.

The Boy-Who-Lived, despite all his knowledge in Defense Against the Dark Arts, found that he liked his classes, and always learned more. The man managed to make it interesting to learn and coaxed them into seeking more knowledge by themselves, by assigning particularly hard yet all the more attention-catching subjects for homework, and whenever he talked about something, they always the feeling that he had actually experienced it first hand. It was all so lively, that they couldn't help but be captivated by what he said.

The only thing he could actually hold against him was his constant actions regarding the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry. After all, it had been in effect for a good thousand years, and he failed to see why a healthy rivalry should be eradicated...

_Harry, you shouldn't lie to yourself like that! It's hypocritical! Narcissa Malfoy saved your life, after all! And Draco didn't want to be recruited, remember! And his father was also a spy, while the Zabinis never joined Voldemort! _A small voice, which sounded remarkably like Hermione, started berating him in his head.

Of course, the voice was right. It was true that the Slytherins weren't all that bad, and that by the time the second war rolled around, a lot of people had been swept by Voldemort without being given a chance, be it by fanatical families, or the Dark Lord himself. People had grown attached to their peace, and the start of a new war had been far from rejoicing to most of them.

Then again, Malfoy was a git.

But the teacher had a point: it was true that in the years since the First Rise of Voldemort, Slytherins had started to be considered like the devil incarnate, and the very essence of evil and darkness. While some of them might be, he knew for a fact that that wasn't true. Malfoy wasn't a murderer, and Zabini wasn't either, while he didn't think either Crabbe or Goyle actually had enough brains to kill someone. The others he didn't know very well, but he sincerely doubted Karin Kurosaki was a murderer, and she was in the snake House, while her brother was clearly Slytherin material, what with the blank features and dark demeanor. But he didn't have the Dark Mark, as he had shown to them, and they had come straight from Japan.

"Harry, you should really stop killing that unfortunate turkey. It's already dead, you know!"

He jumped a little, startled out of his thoughts, and turned to the smiling girl leaning towards him.

"Sorry, Ginny. Just thinking."

She rolled her eyes playfully.

"You mean spacing out. Come on, say 'aah'!"

It was his turn to look heavenwards, but he complied nonetheless and opened his mouth to allow her to feed him. Ginny, despite her being younger than him of a year, had somehow managed to get the role of the big sister sometime between the middle of sixth year and the Final Battle, and had stuck to it, meaning that he got to be mollycoddled almost all the time. Unfortunately for him, it also involved getting scolded about his eating habits and skinniness all the time.

Chewing on his meat, he felt eyes burning holes in his back, and turned around, only to be met with blazing silver as his gaze met Draco Malfoy's. The boy's lips were set in a thin line, eyes hard and hands fisted on the table as he looked at him, while his whole body was very tense. Harry rose an eyebrow at the blatant hostility. Whatever Malfoy's problem was, he didn't care, and would do his best to stay away from him.

He studiously ignored the little voice saying that the blonde had looked extremely handsome with those long fingers curling inside his palms, proud demeanor and icy silver eyes. The git hated him anyway, and so he could only return the favor.

o-O-o

"Do you need help?"

Ichigo looked up as his father entered the classroom and quietly sat down next to him. His students were filling out the quizz he had made for them, and though they cast a few curious glances at the older man, they were quick to get back to their test. The young Professor, on the other hand, had seized the opportunity to fill more of the paperwork which Ares had brought him at lunch, and which he was about drown in.

He sighed.

"_Why not._" He conceded in Japanese. "_I must admit that I am quite overwhelmed, what with having the division and the Shihouin clan to run on top of papers to grade._"

Isshin nodded and pulled a stack of papers towards him.

"_What's this?_"He questioned, pointing at the dark folder sitting innocently enough on the corner of the desk.

Ichigo glanced at the thing, and his features darkened.

"_As I am sure you are aware, I destroyed thirty Hollows on the night of the Ball. The fact is that they were surprisingly weak, and according to Akon's files_" he tilted his head at the folder, "_the attack seems to have been the first ever since we set foot in the UK._"

Isshin nodded.

"_I see._"

They set to work, silently filling in the paperwork, with the occasional question from Isshin to Ichigo about his position on one matter or the other. He couldn't help but feel immensely proud at his son's achievements, especially when his questions were answered without hesitation, thoroughly thought out, and always with the best outcome to them. Who would have thought, seven years ago, that his brash, reckless teenager of a son would one day become such a respected, fearsome, experienced warrior with the charge of leading one of the four most powerful houses of the Soul Society and an entire division all by himself, while at the same time teaching Wizarding children in the World of the Living?

Not him. And yet, he had always, somehow, known that Ichigo would do great things. He had just never fathomed how great he would be.

Kurosaki Isshin was proud, because his son had turned out to be a great, loyal and proud man, with as much honor as strength, and at the same time, a large heart behind his icy demeanor and blank features. Though the war had toughened him up and taught him never to show his emotions, he still felt deeply, and was a very sensitive person.

When he allowed himself to be.

But it was enough for the retired Shinigami, because he knew that Ichigo would never let them down, and that he would never betray them like he had been betrayed by so many people. He was a generous, incredibly selfless person, and would never hesitate to give his life if it could save theirs. Not that he wanted him to, but it was heart-warming to see what a good man the little crybaby the young duel champion had once been was now.

It was still sad, he thought as he looked at his son's profile as he carefully read over a paper bearing the Shihouin House crest at the top, that the war had made him so closed in on himself, and had made him drift off from his family. He wasn't blind to the changes the fight over their lives had brought upon the twins' way of seeing their brother, and to the fact that Karin had stopped calling him _Ichi-nii_ a long time ago.

And he knew that secretly, Ichigo mourned the nickname and the loss of his sisters' innocence. But he would never admit it, and there was nothing they could do about it anyway. Ichigo had his pride, and like with the problem with Lucius and Severus, he would never talk about it. Shihouin Azrael, as he was widely known on the battlefield and the political arena, was a force to be reckoned with, and for all his charisma, remained a loner. He despised the idea of laying his burden on other people's shoulders, and believed he had to carry it itself lest he prove himself weak.

Pushing the issue would only insult him and his pride, and Isshin would never do that.

So he watched from afar, and offered comfort in the only way he knew, aware that his goofy antics were an anchor his son desperately needed, and was grateful for.

With a small smile playing on his lips, he stamped the form and put it on to the stack of 'ready-to-be-signed' papers for Ichigo.

o-O-o

The letter came as a surprise. He was eating breakfast, silent as always, and wasn't expecting any mail for another week and half, when Ares landed right in front of him, holding his leg out for him to take the letter attached. He took the envelope, fed the bird a piece of bacon, and thanked him, caressing his breast feathers with the back of a finger, while the falcon preened under the thanks and petting.

Ichigo turned the letter around for a clue as to the sender, and almost dropped it. He felt the blood drain from his face as he saw the Kuchiki seal, and had to gather all his self-control to prevent his hands from shaking. It was with slightly trembling fingers, though, that he ripped the missive open, and unfolded it, closing his eyes briefly at the familiar handwriting and the faint wisp of well-known reiatsu.

Starting to read, he could only hope it was good news, but seeing as the dark-haired clan leader never wrote him, he couldn't help but have a sinking feeling about this.

_Shihouin-kyo,_

_I know you will most likely be extremely surprised by my writing you, and also, most likely worried, so let me reassure you immediately, everything is alright in the Soul Society. Your aunt, however, insisted I write you, and to be quite honest, I must admit I was thinking about doing so. _

_You did not look too well during our last meeting, and I wished to know whether you were doing better, or if things had worsened for you in the Wizarding World. _

_If there is anything I can do, please inform me, and I will do what is within my power to help. _

_Also, if you were amenable to a meeting with me, I would be most pleased to have tea with you some time in the coming weeks. My coming to the World of the Living and seeing you there would be an option to consider, seeing as I am aware of the fact that as a teacher, you must not be able to leave the school without notice. It would be an occasion for you to get news of the Seireitei, and your friends. _

_Awaiting your answer, _

_Yours, _

_Kuchiki Byakuya, _

_Head of the Kuchiki Clan, _

_Captain of the Sixth Division of the Gotei 13. _

Ichigo stared at the piece of paper for five good minutes even after he was finished reading it, completely stunned. Byakuya had written him. _Byakuya_. And of his own volition! Of course, he had mentioned Yoruichi forcing him to, but he also admitted to having thought of it beforehand... And though it was only subtly hinted at, the man had actually expressed concern for him. He fought hard to keep his expression blank, but couldn't help the small smile which broke out on his face, and honestly, he didn't care right now.

All he could think about, was that someone cared, truly _cared_.

And so, blissfully unaware of the stares he had attracted first by his reaction when the letter had arrived, and now with his smile, he conjured paper and a quill, and started to write his reply.

_Kuchiki-kyo, _

_I cannot find a good enough way of expressing my gratitude to you for your concern. Yet, I will say this: thank you. I am afraid, though, that things have, far from getting better, actually worsened here. But I am well nonetheless. Once again, thank you for your concern. _

_As for your offer for a meeting, I would be glad to oblige. Why not meet in Hogsmeade, the Wizarding village by the school-_

"Tell me, Headmaster, when is the next Hogsmeade weekend again?"

The quietly asked question attracted attention once more, but he was too preoccupied to care, as he waited for the answer, tapping his quill to the wood of the table slightly impatiently. Once he got the information, he nodded in thanks, and returned to his letter.

_-The wizarding village by the school next Saturday at ten in the morning? You could even, if you can take the weekend off, spend the night at Hogwarts, and then leave for Soul Society on Sunday evening or Monday morning if you would like. I have heard all sorts of good things about a pub called _The Three Broomsticks_, and would be more than happy to introduce you to the Wizarding World. _

_Awaiting your answer, _

_Gratefully yours, _

_Shihouin Azrael _

_Head of the Shihouin Clan_

_Captain of the Fifth Division of the Gotei 13_

Smiling slightly to himself, he reread the letter to check for anything he would have forgotten, then nodded to himself, and, putting the parchment in an envelope, summoned a candle and spilled a little liquid wax on the back before waiting for a few seconds and pressing the back of his signet ring to it, thus impressing the Shihouin Seal to it.

Once it had cooled off, he tied the letter to Ares' leg, and watched him take off.

"_Good news?_" His father asked from his seat.

His head snapped up, and that's when he noticed the looks. His features instantly blanked.

"_Indeed._" He merely answered, unwilling to divulge too much information in Severus' presence. The man could understand Japanese, after all, and he wasn't sure the Headmaster wouldn't surreptitiously cast a translating spell to see what was going on. And Byakuya wasn't _anybody's_ business but his. His only.

Shaking his head to get rid of those strange thoughts, the young man stood, and swept by the Head table and down the Great Hall. He still had classes to teach.

* * *

><p><strong>All done! I didn't proofread myself, so sue me for any mistakes^^!<br>Things go downhill, and Byakuya expresses concern at last! And Ichigo actually knows how to dance! I hope you loved those scenes, I know I really enjoyed writing them. Some Isshin's PoV too, he's a good character, I like him^^! **

**Hmm, I think I said it all... A little review for a starving French Girl?  
><strong>

**Next: Byakuya visits!**


	9. Breaking Down

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Guess what? I'm leaving for another fortnight tomorrow! Aaaand... no internet access, joy! So, no updates until the 31st of August...<br>Anyway, I just finished season 3 of the True Blood series, and it was soooo sad! I just LOVE Eric and Godric^^! But there aren't enough great stories about them and Harry Potter out there, it's sooo unfair! Yeah, I'm in a childish mood, I know, lol!  
>Also, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, chapter 8 was the one which got the most reviews, cheers! AND! I got cookies! And a glass of milk! YAY! <strong>

**Che, enough with the childish nonsense, here goes the chapter... I hope it won't disappoint any of you! I know I just loved writing it.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9:<span>

It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and Harry couldn't wait for the time to go. It had been so long since he had been able to enjoy an outing without the threat of a Death Eater attack hanging over his head, that he could barely refrain from bouncing on his feet as he waited with Hermione for Ron to _finally_ be ready and come down to the Gryffindor common room.

"Come on, Ron!" He yelled impatiently. "Or I'm leaving!"

Silence, then a rummaging sound, a door being yanked open and slammed shut, and then, feet stomping down the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here, I'm here." Ron grumbled. "Seriously, couldn't you have waited until eleven? It's Saturday morning, mate! Meaning sleep-in time!"

Harry had already turned around, and was standing outside the common room.

"It's the first Hogsmeade weekend without Voldemort around." He said firmly. "And I plan on savoring it thoroughly."

"Whatever. I worked on my DADA essay all night, I'm exhausted."

At Harry and Hermione's incredulous stare, he turned defensive.

"What?" He snapped.

The brunette smiled.

"It's nothing, Ron." She said, slipping her hand in his larger one. "I'm just glad you finally understood the importance of studying."

Harry chortled as his friend turned a shade of red which clashed horribly with his hair.

"It's horribly hard." Ron said as an explanation. "You should start tonight, Harry, I swear it's the most difficult paper I've ever had to write about."

Hermione nodded.

"Yes. The information is very difficult to find." She said seriously, and Harry felt his eyes widen.

"Somehow, I feel like I'm not going to sleep a lot tonight." He said wryly. "But anyway, let's just enjoy the day!"

And with that, the trio was off to Hogsmeade. They made their way down the park and to the gates, handing over their permission slips, before stepping into Hogsmeade with barely repressed enthusiasm, greeting people while they walked, and chose just to walk around for some time, to enjoy their freedom.

"Hey, who's that?" Harry suddenly said, stopping in his tracks.

"Who?" Ron asked, confused.

Harry pointed discreetly. The man was tall, towering at 6"4', with a nice, lithe body. Long, silky midnight black hair flowed right past his shoulders, contrasting sharply with a white scarf of the finest material. He was wearing smart black slacks and a white turtleneck shirt under an open black leather jacket. His face was blank of any expression, not unlike Professors Snape and Kurosaki, and he held himself very straight, steel gray eyes looking straight at the castle. All in all, he was gorgeous, with his flawless skin and aristocratic features.

"He looks like he's waiting for someone." Hermione said. "Maybe we should offer our help..."

Ron shrugged.

"Ah, come on, Hermione, he can take care of himself..."

She looked as if she were about to protest, but one more glance at the aloof man seemed to confirm the fact that he wouldn't be an easy one to approach, and so she surrendered to his arguments.

"Okay."

"Let's go." Harry said. "I really want a butterbeer right now!"

Smiling at their friend's excitement, they followed him to the Madam Rosmerta's pub.

o-O-o

Kuchiki Byakuya buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket. It was quite cold for November, and he had to admit that he slightly regretted not dressing more warmly. He stood opposite the gates of the school, and couldn't deny that the building looked very impressive. He hoped Ichigo would agree to take him on a tour. The architecture there promised to be interesting, and he found himself curious as to the surroundings the younger captain worked in daily.

Speaking of which, he straightened up from his position against the wall as a familiar, tall silhouette walked through the gates and towards him, his gait that of a skilled warrior, perfectly balanced and silent. Dark, silver and black-streaked blood red hair wavered gently as the man came closer and closer, and he took a step forward, just as mismatched eyes locked with his. He found himself unable to look away, completely transfixed by the intensity of those swirling orbs.

They looked each other in the eye for a few silent second, standing completely motionless, and the passersby could only notice how complementary they were. Black and white, light and darkness, it was almost eerie, and yet, at the same time... strangely right.

Then, in a single movement, they clasped each other's forearm, never breaking eye-contact.

"_Lord Kuchiki." _

"_Lord Shihouin. I am glad to see you are doing well._" He paused for a second, as if hesitant, then added. "_Physically, at least._"

Ichigo nodded, and they released each other, before the younger man started walking.

"_Let us go to that pub I talked to you about_._ You must be very cold._"

"_I am alright. I have seen worse._" Byakuya said, slight amusement in his tone.

Ichigo glanced at him, taking in the ever so slightly flushed cheeks.

"_Still. I apologize for my lateness, I was held back. Students fighting in the hallways, you see._"

The man nodded his head curtly.

"_It is fine._"

He led him down the street, pointing at the shops and talking about the stuff they sold. Byakuya listened attentively, curious as to what the Wizarding World consisted of, and what his younger colleague taught. But Ichigo never mentioned that. He resolved to ask him about his job later, when they had their drinks. The former substitute stopped.

"_Here we are. After you._"

Byakuya stepped through the door with a curt nod, and stood on the threshold for a second, his eyes darting from side to side and analyzing the place. There were mostly students there, all seated in groups with a drink, and chatting excitedly, though the moment his companion came to stand by his side, they stared at the two of them shamelessly. The pub was very open, with light flooding in through the windows, a large common room, and a bar held by a well-endowed blonde, though her assets were nowhere near, say, Inoue Orihime's or Matsumoto Rangiku's.

"_Come on, there's a free table over there._" Ichigo said, and started making his way towards the very back of the pub, where a single table, which had been conveniently hidden in the shadows, remained unclaimed. Byakuya took a seat, and Ichigo gave him a slight nod.

"_Since you do not know our drinks, I'll take two of our most popular beverages for you, if that is alright?_"

The noble nodded in assent, and Ichigo turned on his heels and headed to the counter. He spoke a few words with the willowy bartender, who left in a hurry, before coming back after a few minutes. But that time had been enough for Byakuya to assert the fact that the students were still staring at him, and that the group seated at the next table, though more discreet, was wondering about who he was, and his relationship with their Professor.

He looked up as Ichigo came back, and put down two bottles and two pints.

"_Sorry for the delay._" He said. "_Madam Rosmerta's bar is very popular, as you can see, and I am afraid she was quite overwhelmed._"

He sat down, and pointed at the bottle.

"_This is Firewhisky. The pint is butterbeer. It is the non-alcoholic drink most wizards drink, except for Pumpkin juice, but that is more for children than grown-ups._" He explained.

"_Which do you prefer?_"

Ichigo smirked.

"_It depends on the mood. Right now, Firewhisky, I guess._"

The dark-haired noble nodded, and grabbed the bottle. Uncorking it, he poured himself a glass, then did the same for his companion, and held his glass up for a toast.

"_To a pleasant meeting._"

"_To a warless weekend._"

They drank.

"_This is quite good._" Byakuya observed, looking at the amber liquid with interest, and making Ichigo chuckle.

"_I will send you a stock if you want._"

Their glasses once again filled to the brim, they settled down for a lengthy conversation.

"_So, how is everyone?_"

"_Quite alright. I fear my lieutenant has plans for my sister. Hitsugaya-taichou and Hinamori-fukutaichou_ _are engaged, and I believe that Ukitake-taichou and Kyoraku-taichou are dating._"

Ichigo smirked.

"_Do not kill Renji already, okay? Try to let him enough time to propose._"

Byakuya rose an eyebrow.

"_I would rather kill him now so that he can never do it, and I have eternal peace, but I am afraid he is too valuable a fighter for me to get rid of him yet._"

A nod.

"_Why are all those children staring at us?_"

"_Well, I guess they are curious as to who you are, especially since you obviously know me, and I have not been exactly... forthcoming for quite some time._"

He looked down at his glass.

"_I take it something happened since your last visit, then... Would you tell me?_"

And so Ichigo spoke, slowly, painfully, until he had told Byakuya the whole story. He was completely unaware, though, of the listening ears at the closest table, who understood every word he said thanks to Hermione's translator spell. If he had, no doubt he would have erected privacy charms and made sure that nobody could hear. When he finally fell silent, they had drained the two bottles of Firewhisky, and started on the Butterbeer. Byakuya knew that no words could comfort his colleague -friend?, and so he kept silent, but somehow, he knew that it was enough for Ichigo, who indeed confirmed that supposition when he looked up with a barely visible smile.

"_Thank you._" A raised eyebrow. "_For listening, Byakuya. Thank you._"

The noble nodded, and they sipped on their butterbeer for a while, before the sixth captain spoke again.

"_Tell me about this Wizarding World._"

Ichigo did. They sat there for a long time, talking quietly, immersed in their conversation and, though aware enough of the world to react of threatened, tuning the outside world out completely. That is the reason they never noticed the group of adults come in, sit themselves at the counter, and stare at them over their drinks while talking among themselves about them, the way they leaned forward to listen to each other speaking, looked intently at the other, gaze never wavering or looking away, their stony demeanor belied by the shining of their eyes, hair, skin and clothes a striking contrast, yet a powerful combination.

A beautiful pair.

It was hours before they finally stood and left the pub, feeling very much refreshed and content. Byakuya had gained invaluable knowledge with which he could enrich the Kuchiki archives with -with Ichigo's consent, of course, and he if he so wished, under a protection seal to restrict access to this information. Ichigo, on the other hand, felt better after talking to someone he knew could be trusted. The last person he truly felt he could talk to and expect to listen without being judged. To the young hybrid's eyes, the noble's company was invaluable.

They walked slowly to the gates, and stopped at the edge of the wards. Students passed by them on their way back, glancing at them curiously and whispering to their friends, girls giggling and blushing furiously at the pair, some boys flushing too. Ichigo stepped through the wards effortlessly, and then turned to his friend, who had felt the defensive magic and, knowing that the younger man would do something about it, calmly waited.

The Defense teacher smiled softly, and held out his hand.

"_Come_."

Pale, elegant long fingers nested themselves in a callous palm, and as the tan hand clasped his, he felt his lips curl up ever so slightly, but it was enough for Ichigo, who had mastered the art of reading even the slightest change in his features.

Ichigo pulled him forward gently.

Kuchiki Byakuya set foot on Hogwarts grounds.

o-O-o

The two men stood there for a second which seemed like an eternity, almost chest to chest, so close they were almost touching, and then...

"_Byakuya-bo!_ My, I must say, you have grown a lot since I last saw you! Give Daddy a hug!"

Turning to the source of the disturbance, the noble easily side-stepped the attempt to tackle him in what would have been a very embarrassing display for a man of his standing, and held back a vicious smirk when his companion slammed his foot into the goat's face, sending him slamming to the ground, and then digging his heel in his skull until there was a dent in the ground.

There were gasps as he did so, and Byakuya rose a stoic eyebrow at the students watching the scene in horror, and the few adults, teachers, most likely, staring appalled at their colleague.

"_Are you quite finished?_" He asked coolly.

One last hit, and the Shihouin Clan Head majestically turned away from his father's comically prostrated form.

"_Yes I am. Please forgive this unbecoming display. Let us go._"

They started walking up to the castle, and stopped at the front steps.

"_Here we are. Brace yourself for more staring, pointing and whispering, and for quite a few surprises._" Ichigo said as he stepped through the Entrance doors.

They walked quietly through the castle. The hybrid pointed out things to his companion, who looked with undisguised interest. Moving portraits, animated armors and changing stairs, the man couldn't help but find the Wizarding World fascinating, and told Ichigo as much. The young man chuckled.

"_You can write about this in the Kuchiki archives, but I would appreciate it if the information was restricted to you only._"

Byakuya shot him a grateful look.

"_Thank you._"

"_No problem, Byakushi._"

The man did a double-take at the name.

"_What did you call me?_"

Ichigo froze in his tracks as he realized he had spoken the affectionate nickname he had come up with for the noble out loud, and in his presence.

"_Nothing._"

He looked away, unable to stand the penetrating gaze Byakuya was pinning him with, and then, jumped when two slender fingers pushed gently on his jaw, forcing him to look the man in the eye. Mismatched eyes met molten silver, and the young man sucked in a harsh breath.

"_It is adequate, but in private only._"

And then, he took too steps back, letting go, and started walking again, leaving a dumbfounded Ichigo behind him, who brushed his fingers on the burning spot the older man had touched, staring dazedly at the retreating back.

"_You are getting left behind, Shihouin._"

Ichigo smiled and quickly caught up, never losing his composure. They stopped outside the Great Hall, and he turned to his friend.

"_Those people are all wizards and witches, except for the half-giant, Hagrid Rubeus. They think my father is a Squib, a non-magical child born to magical parents. However, I am afraid your demeanor would never be believable as a Squib. Do you mind if I were to introduce you as a Pureblood Spirit Mage? If they ask, you say you do not need a wand to perform magic, and use another focus._"

The man nodded.

"_Very well._"

"_Be careful, though. The man in black, Snape Severus, understands Japanese and, as you __know, used to be a spy. He will be suspicious, and ask questions, though subtly._"

Byakuya smirked viciously. He remembered the man from the younger captain's story. "_I am sure I can find a way to... avoid his inquiries._"

They exchanged a glance, then a nod, and walked in, ignoring the stares. This was getting old, Ichigo thought as he strolled to the Head table. Really, didn't the students and staff have anything better to do than observe him and speculate about everything he did?

**'That's 'cause we're handsome, **_**Aibou**_**!'** Shiro snickered.

_'Yeah, sure. Why don't you shut up, Shiro?' _

He could distinctly feel the Hollow pout in his inner world.

**'Ah, come on, **_**Aibou**_**, ya're no fun!' **

A new seat appeared by Ichigo's side at the Head table, and Byakuya sat gracefully, eye barely twitching as food magically appeared on his plate, and seemingly never noticing the girls -and some boys- staring up at him with stars in their eyes, cooing about how gorgeous and fragile he looked with his porcelain skin and silky ebony hair and gray eyes. He'd had much worse in Soul Society: the Women's Association's members could be more terrifying than a clingy herd of howling groupies sometimes. Some of them had actually exhibited themselves in his room -how the hell they had managed to come in there he had no idea- in hopes that he would mysteriously fall in love with them and be their knight in shining armor.

Never in hell.

"_Isn't this interesting..._" He commented as he looked at the newly-appeared food, casting a scathing glare at his neighbor. "_You neglected to mention this... phenomenon._"

Ichigo smirked.

"_I like my fun._"

"_You will regret this, Shihouin._"

The smirk turned feral.

"_Oh my, is that a threat, or a challenge?_"

"_A promise._" Byakuya said, delicately putting a piece of meat in his mouth and chewing slowly. "_This is peculiar._"

Ichigo couldn't help it: he snickered. The noble rose a questioning eyebrow.

"_What is it?_"

"_Nothing. Have you never had western food before?_"

"_Because you have?_"

The hybrid shrugged.

"_Well... no. Except for pizza and hamburgers, that is._"

"_You mean those disgusting things you keep bringing to my stupid lieutenant?_"

"_I'll have you know it's good._"

The man shook his head condescendingly.

"_And to think I actually expect you to savor the fine meals my cooks prepare whenever you come over..._" He said, looking faintly disgusted.

"_I do enjoy them!_" Ichigo protested, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

The amused glance sent his way was enough to get him to understand he was being led on.

"_Che. I give up._" He muttered to his plate.

Byakuya chuckled elegantly.

"Tell me, my boy, who is your friend?" Dumbledore piped up when they fell silent.

The dark-haired looked at his comrade in arms.

"_My boy?_" He repeated incredulously.

"_Oh, shut up._" Ichigo replied, before turning to the Headmaster. "Of course. Headmaster, this is Lord Byakuya Kuchiki, Spirit Warlock of Japan. _Kuchiki-kyo, this is Dumbledore Albus, Headmaster of this school._"

Byakuya tilted his head forward.

"Pleased to meet you." He said coolly, his eyes carefully guarded.

"Pleasure is mine, my boy." The old coot said, eyes twinkling.

Thin lips pursed in a thin line, and Ichigo choked on his food as he heard the name, while gray eyes turned to glare at him. Had he been a lesser man, he would probably have fainted from terror by now.

_My boy? I am older than him! _Byakuya seethed in silence. _How dare he!_

"So, tell me, what is it that you do in Japan?" Dumbledore asked.

"Nothing much. Paperwork, mostly." He eluded.

"How long have you known Ichigo here for?" The Potions Master drawled silkily.

The two Shinigamis shared a rapid glance.

"Seven years."

"So you're friends?" McGonagall asked, interestedly.

Shiro snickered so loudly that Ichigo jumped slightly, and his fork clattered noisily against his plate. Byakuya glanced at him, surprised, though it was artfully concealed. Friends? Yeah, sure.

"Yes, I suppose you could say we are friends."

She frowned, clearly unsatisfied by the answer.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Another quick exchange of glances.

"Well," Ichigo said slowly, "we used to... disagree on quite a few issues. Our relations were not always as... peaceful as they are now."

At the other end of the table, Isshin snorted loudly with a not-so-quiet mutter of "understatement of the millenium", and Ichigo glowered at him, noting with dark satisfaction how the older man's face was all bruised, and had a distinct trace in the shape of a shoe on his cheek.

"Oh." The Deputy Headmistress said, clearly puzzled.

"And what brought this reconciliation?" Dumbledore asked.

Ichigo shrugged.

"Things happened."

"Like a war?"

Both men stiffened, which didn't go unnoticed. Snape's eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"Like a war." The Kuchiki Clan Head said coldly. "I find you are extremely... curious." He added, and the contempt in his tone was clear enough for all of them to catch it.

Ichigo nodded his head in assent. This was an understatement.

"Well, seeing as no news of a war in Japan have reached Magical England, the idea of a conflict in your country does seem odd, wouldn't you agree?" The Potions Master drawled.

Byakuya's glare could have frozen the blazing pits of Hell.

"Your opinion is inconsequential to me, I must say. Lord Shihouin and myself have enough scars to prove the reality of this... conflict, as you so tactfully put it, to anyone. However, we have nothing to prove to the likes of you, and seeing as it seems impossible to eat undisturbed in the British Wizarding World, I will now take my leave. If you will excuse me."

Ichigo stood at the same time as his friend, mismatched eyes hard and unforgiving as he glared at them.

"_Peasants._" Byakuya spat, though his tone remained conversational.

The hybrid's reiatsu spiked briefly, but he was quick to reign it in as the noble put an appeasing hand on his forearm, despite his own rage.

"_I apologize for this disaster._" He said with a formal bow. "_Those people have been rude and disgraced the Wizarding World. I find myself ashamed of having to call them my kin. Please, accept my most sincere apologies._"

The man started to turn around.

"_You are not at fault here, Lord Shihouin. I am afraid ill-mannered people can always only remain noisy commoners._"

Snape's nostrils flared at the insult, but considering the fact that he was the only one to understand what they were saying, apart from Isshin, who was choking on his food laughing, the others merely looked from the pair to Snape and then at Isshin, before coming back to the Shinigamis.

They turned on their heels and left, black and white mixing elegantly as they walked out of the Great Hall, their gait similar and their way of holding themselves exactly the same.

"What did they say?" McGonagall questioned a livid Potions Master.

The man was so enraged, though, that he didn't trust his voice, and thus stood and left without a word, so they turned to Isshin, confused. The man was only too glad to repeat the conversation word for word, and they felt themselves flush with both anger and shame at the truth of what had been said.

They turned back to their meal, while the former Shinigami laughed helplessly, his head on the table, and tears of mirth streaming down his cheeks. This was just too good.

o-O-o

"_I can't believe it! Those... those morons! I hate them! I hate them all! Bigoted, prejudiced imbeciles, all so sure they know everything and can just judge us all, decide whether we say the truth or lie! I hate them!_"

Byakuya watched as his young colleague punched the strange bag hanging from the ceiling in the large training room they were now in. After they had left, the young man had led him directly to the seventh floor, paced three times before a blank portion of wall, and then, when a door had opened, entered this place.

It was actually a complete dueling arena, with training objects and a very large space. Sighing, though he could understand the man's rage, he shrugged himself out of his body to reveal his Shinigami form, and stepped forward. He still felt the cold anger burning through him, and could only think of one way to get rid of it: to vent. So he approached the still ranting fifth captain.

"_Let us duel._" Ichigo straightened up, and let his arms fall back to his sides. "_Hand-to-hand combat for the moment._"

Then he nodded, and the room changed to be a vast arena. A few seconds watching the other carefully, and then, they moved.

Two hours later, they were both sweaty, their hair all sandy, and completely disheveled. Byakuya had Ichigo pinned to the ground under him, one hand on his throat, and the other holding his wrists above his head in a death grip, while he kept his legs down with his knees. The younger captain's eyes were blazing as they looked up at him, and he found himself following the elegant lines of this strong visage, the high cheekbones, tan skin, and straight nose.

The hybrid was panting, his chest heaving under him, but he didn't move. He was the only one who would ever understand him, that he knew, and despite all their differences, they were still so eerily similar they couldn't seem to keep apart for too long. It was strange, it was incomprehensible, it was unbelievable, that a Kuchiki would get so attached to someone like Kurosaki Ichigo, now Shihouin Azrael, but it was the truth.

It was right.

"_Do you yield?_"

Mismatched eyes slid close.

"_I yield._"

Byakuya released him, then slowly stood up, and held a hand out to help the young man up. He took it, but his legs wobbled slightly, and he swayed, almost falling, making the noble slide a hand around his waist to support him.

"_Are you alright?_"

The gesture had inadvertently brought the young man against his chest, and he found himself not minding in the least. His face pressed against the muscular torso, Ichigo nodded slowly.

"_Yes... It's just that my human body isn't used to such intense training. Sorry._"

"_It is quite alright. You are still in your human body? Why not fight directly in your spirit form?_" He asked curiously.

"_There might come a time when I do not have the time to change forms, so I thought I would make myself more resistant, and started training to be able to fight in my physical body. My attacks are nothing like what I can do as a Spirit, but I am good enough for most... situations._"

Byakuya nodded.

"_I see. That is a good idea indeed. And you put up a very good fight, considering this._"

"_Thank you._" Came the muffled response. "_It means a lot to have your approval._"

There was a teasing undertone there, but the man knew he meant it, and so didn't comment. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's proximity, and breathing in the strong scent of the other, though they had sweated a lot. After some time, they were no longer panting, and Ichigo suggested they take a shower, and then enjoy a nice evening with Brandy and a warm fire.

They left the Room of Requirement, and headed down to the DADA teacher's room, not noticing the people standing a few feet away in the shadows.

"Bloody hell, did they just shag, or what?"

The exclamation was followed by a pained yelp as Ron's girlfriend elbowed him in the gut, violently.

"Do you _have_ to be so vulgar?" She said, exasperatedly.

"But Mr Weasley nonetheless just raised an interesting aspect of their relationship." McGonagall said through her disapproving frown.

"I don't think they had any kind of sexual activity." Snape drawled. "Unless they like to do so in the sand, which I think would make for a particularly itchy and rough bed."

"Well, let us follow them. _Comprearius_." Dumbledore said as he cast a translator charm at the retreating pair, and started to walk, under the protection of a disillusion spell which allowed him to be seen by the others in his group, and a silencing spell for their footsteps and breathing.

The two men walked slowly, weary and bloody, and it was easy to catch up to them as Ichigo was limping.

"_Any news?_" Byakuya finally asked.

Ichigo shook his head tiredly.

"_Not really. Akon sent me the report on Hollow activity since our arrival here, but there had been nothing worth noticing. I am worried._"

"_I heard there had been an attack_."

A nod. "_There has. On All Hallows Eve. A pack of thirty. They were frightfully weak, though. My physical body was enough to get rid of them, with no one the wiser._"

"_You did not have to use your Zanpakutô?_"

"_No. Only hand-to-hand. They didn't even howl. They were just... lurking. And they never noticed my reiatsu._"

Silence.

"_He is planning something._" Ichigo spoke again. "_But I can't for the life of me figure out what. It's not like he can involve wizards..._"

Byakuya stopped abruptly, and the Defense teacher froze after a few steps. Turning slowly to look at his friend, his eyes were wide with horror.

"_He doesn't... does he?_"

The dark-haired captain sighed softly.

"_I am afraid he can. Three clans have already joined him. He promised them the Key to Heaven, and they fell for it pathetically fast._"

"_Why didn't you tell me?_"

The noble tensed ever so slightly.

"_You have new orders._"

This time, it was the younger man's turn to stiffen, and his eyes narrowed in wariness.

"_I am all ears._"

"_You are to try and recruit all wizards you can to help with this war. It is an order from the Captain-Commander himself, I am afraid._"

Ichigo closed his eyes in defeat and leaned against the wall.

"_No... Byakuya..._" He looked up, mismatched eyes glowing eerily in the darkness. "_Byakuya, they will never come. And I cannot blame them. They are still celebrating the end of a twenty-year war, and have not healed yet. They have no idea how ruthless a true war is, and theirs already caused many casualties. We cannot ask them to come. They are not ready._"

"_The order is not from me but from Yamamoto-soutaichou. There is nothing I can do._"

"_I will not..._" He looked down, ran a weary hand through his hair in agitation. "_I cannot. The Captain-Commander knows nothing of the Wizarding World. Wizards in Japan are ruthless, experienced fighters, trained as soon as they start walking in the Ways of the Ninjas, the Samurais and the Spirit Warlocks. They master Elemental magic in a way that has not been seen for centuries in Europe, and do not hesitate to use the Dark Arts. It will be a _bloodbath_!_"

They fell silent for a while. The disillusioned wizards waited with bated breath for what would come next. None of them planned on going to fight another war, in a distant, foreign country, and against opponents apparently far stronger than them. They had just finished with their war, and they fully intended to keep Britain at peace.

Finally, the Kuchiki Lord spoke again.

"_Do you allow me to speak in your name at the captains meeting, then? To relay your words to the Captain-Commander?_"

His voice was emotionless, there was nothing that would lead them to believe that he was disappointed, angry, or something like that. Ichigo sighed, looked up.

"_Yes._"

"_You are aware that you could lose your position as a captain by disobeying a direct order, are you not?_"

Another sigh. The young man rubbed his face with his palm.

"_I am. But to be quite honest with you, I... I do not care. As long as I can fight, then it's okay. Appoint Renji as my successor, will you? White Emperor._"

The portrait pivoted open, and they entered the hybrid's rooms. Disappointed, the wizards didn't try to follow, for they knew they wouldn't have the time to all enter the room before the portrait closed.

Inside, Byakuya had moved, and Ichigo was pinned to the wall, the man's fingers digging in the soft flesh of his throat. His head hit the wall with a loud crack, but he didn't even wince, focused as he was on the handsome man standing in front of him.

"_What is with you all of a sudden? Giving up already? What happened to you, Shihouin Azrael? Where has all that righteous fighting spirit gone to? You are still the captain of the fifth division of Seireitei, the Lord of the noble House of Shihouin, the supreme hybrid, the only human to have ever become one of us! You are a war hero, the inspiration to many men and women who fight and die under your command, proud to have been led by you, to have followed you, to have helped you, been known by you, been _seen_ by you! There is no soul in Seireitei who does not know about your life, about your courage, about your determination, about your heart! So what happened to you? Why are you giving up! You cannot! I will not allow it! The fifth division needs you, not Abarai!_"

He released the young man, who slid down the wall and to the ground.

"_I am tired, Byakuya. So very tired. When I first entered Seireitei, I was the ryoka, the human intruder, a thief, an error of nature, and so you fought me. Then, I went back to Earth, and I became a Vizard, and this time, you feared me, because I had no control over it, and because I was part what you all hate so much. And now, even amongst my kin, amongst humans, the ones you told me so many times to return to, I am looked at with wariness, and considered a potential threat, because I did not spill my whole life story as soon as I arrived. I am neither of this world, nor of yours. So tell me, Byakuya. What is it I should do?_"

The dark-haired man never looked away from his face as he spoke, though Ichigo kept his eyes lowered, and seemed not to notice his blood staining the stone under him, mixed with sand. After a moment of silence, during which he kept so perfectly motionless, he could have been mistaken for a statue, he finally moved, kneeling in front of his friend and gently raising his chin to look him in the eye.

"_You belong with us. Magic is a part of you, but so is your hybrid nature. The fifth division needs you: after Aizen's betrayal, they could not believe it when they heard the captaincy had been taken over by you. They were overjoyed, trust me, I know, we _do_ have neighboring quarters. Your leading them was a chance for them to prove their allegiance, their worth, their loyalty. And you, a figure of legend to them, agreed to care for this ruined, soiled division, to pick it up from its ashes, and revive it, lead the men into battle, and from there to victory. _

"_You are precious to them, as Azrael, and Ichigo. You are precious to the Shihouin Clan, because as the Head, you ensure their safety and the preservation of their interests. You are precious to your human friends, because you gave them the power and will to fight for something. You are precious to us, as an ally, an inestimable warrior, an experienced fighter, and a loyal friend. _

"_You are precious to _me. _Both as the Shihouin Head, which makes you a fellow noble and Clan Leader, but as a fellow captain, comrade in arms, and my only, precious _friend._ Ever __since Hisana's death, I have never talked to anyone, _cared_ about anyone like I do about you. You are the only person in the world I know will never judge me, but will listen to me, put me back in my place whenever I need it, argue with me fearlessly, joke with me like I am anybody but a noble and a captain, and see through the mask, comfort me. This is something I would never let anybody else see but you. _

"_You are special, and you belong with us. And if the rest of Seireitei and Soul Society does not want you, if the humans reject you, if you feel like the world has ended and you are all alone, you can come to me, and my manor will be your sanctuary for as long as you __need it._"

He fell silent, and then abruptly let go of Ichigo's chin, apparently shocked by his own words. He tried to step back, but strong fingers wrapped around his wrist, and then, suddenly, the hybrid was standing in front of him, staring at him intensely.

"_Byakuya..._" He choked, as a single tear ran down his bruised cheek. "_Byakuya, I..._"

And then, he was pressed against the man's toned torso, his arms locked around his neck, and strong arms wrapped around his waist, holding him firmly in the embrace, sobbing his heart out, his face pressed in the folds of the white turtleneck, and a long-fingered hand rubbing his back gently while the older noble murmured soft nothings, soft reassurances in his ear, trying to soothe his grief, to appease his pain, and lull him to sleep.

He cried for minutes on end, for hours, for days, years and centuries. He cried for the losses, of his mother, of the dozens of lives cut short in the blind rage of war, for the grief and pain, for the blood and sweat, for dead eyes and innocence lost, for wails of suffering and yells of hazy fury, for revenge, and love, and sadness and forgotten times of carelessness. For souls devoured, tortured and experimented on, for prisoners, be it in body or mind and soul, for the Vizards and the prejudices they were subjected to, for his fellow captains, their duty to lead men they cared for to their deaths, and their flat eyes as they watched their subordinates go to the battlefield, knowing that some of them they would never see again.

He cried for Byakuya, for the death of his wife and his duties as a Clan Head, so similar to his own burden.

And he cried for himself, for the loss of his innocence, of his integrity, for the blood on his hands, the deaths on his conscience, the people he was too weak to protect, and those who still relied on him. For his fallout with his family, his sisters and the hardships they had to go through because of him, for their fragmented education, and their life without a mother figure, for his father and his goofiness as he tried to cheer his children up after their mother -the love of his life's death.

He cried, and cried, and cried, and when there was no tear left in his body, he still heaved dry sobs, before drifting into an exhausted sleep, clutching at Byakuya's clothes like it was the last thing still binding him to life.

And the man never let go, he just held him with care, like a mother to her her child, or a lover to their other half, their special someone, and he whispered, whispered and whispered, gently, ever so softly, and when he saw that he had fallen asleep, he carried him to his bedroom, and lay down by his side.

And he slept.

* * *

><p><strong>And so even the toughest have their weaknesses, and our Ichigo's finally broken down. In the arms of lovely Byakuya. So sweet *sighs dreamily*<strong>

**So, how did you like it? Byakuya rules. Well, with Ichigo, of course. **

**Next: Insecurities, Byakuya's visit continues. **

**P.S.: I didn't proofread myself. I think^^!**


	10. Insecurities and Curiosity

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay, I just came back today at 2 am, and had to clear out all the unopened mail in my mail box (that was more than 600 messages, can you imagine the horror?), and so now I'm updating my stories... <strong>

**I got a few reviews pointing out several problems, though, and rather than answering them personnally, I'd rather correct the mistakes for everyone who's reading my story, so here we go:**

**sparklefreeze and readyjetsetlag pointed out that I said in the first chapter that Ichigo was the captain of the 14th division but then stated in chapter 9 that he'd taken over Aizen's post. Sorry, my mistake: Ichigo's indeed the captain of the fifth division, so no 14th division in the Seireitei. I'll correct that as soon as I figure out how to do it (the chapter's no longer in the Doc Manager section... does anyone know how I can change things?).  
><strong>

**sparklefreeze** also asked how come the HP cast could eavesdrop on Ichigo and Byakuya's conversations and follow them around without getting caught and all that... Yes, they do have reiatsu, however, Hogwarts itself is so full of it, what with having several hundreds students gifted with magic/spiritual pressure casting spells around all day, that it completely blurs their senses and they can't really make out who's where in the castle (or around a lot of wizards and in magical places like Diagon Alley, since the place itself is buzzing with power). Also, magic isn't spiritual pressure, BUT, though it's another kind of energy, it's still supernatural energy, and so it's located and analyzed (in terms of power) pretty much like reiatsu. I hope that made sense, if you have more questions, I'll be happy to answer them, of course^^!****

**One of the Colorless said Ichigo's blood red hair made her/him think of Renji's... Well, no. In fact, I've always seen Renji's hair as more pink-ish than red^^! So it's more crimson than anything, and it's only streaks, remember he has a most... unusual hair color, lol! As for your question about whether Ichigo could use his hollow powers when he and Shiro where separated... yes, he can. However, they're more potent when they're one. And the Espadas? Yes, they are alive. I'm too lazy to create new ones and their powers, looks and strange names for their Zanpakutôs, so they survived! **

**Hmmm... I think that's it... **

**Enjoy the chapter!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 10:<span>

The first thing that came to his mind when he woke up was that he felt warm, and comfortable, and that he must be dead. After all, he hadn't felt that good since his mother's death, and there was no way he would be relaxed while the war was still going on. So, the only logical conclusion was that he was dead. Which was, once again, very strange, because he knew for a fact that when one dies, they go to Soul Society, and end up in Rukongai to start another life as a spirit.

In other words, something was off.

That mere conclusion was enough to have him instantly alert, and he stiffened ever so slightly, his reflexes and training kicking in and allowing him to remain almost completely limp, so that whoever was in the room wouldn't be aware that he was now awake.

Breathing deeply -both to calm down and keep up the illusion that he was still sleeping, he started analyzing his surroundings. He was lying on his side, with his face burrowed into something warm, and firm. The surface he was on was soft, and he deduced it must be a bed. He could hear the sound of someone breathing deeply -obviously, they were asleep- near his head, and warmth were an arm was curled around his waist. And that was when he realized, to his utmost embarrassment, that his hands were actually clutching at fabric, he was cuddling close to whoever was in his bed, and … and...

He slowly slid his eyes open.

And it was Byakuya.

The man was sleeping in his bed, arms wrapped around him in what could be called a protective embrace, Kenseïkan nowhere in sight and black hair spilled around his head like a halo, pale skin glowing slightly, and features relaxed in a look of pure contentment Ichigo had never seen on his face before. Laying there, in his bed, the man looked like a Fallen Angel, black and white contrasting starkly, and sleep warmth completely eclipsing the coldness his aura usually exuded.

He was _beautiful_.

The young Shinigami stared for a long while, unable to tear his eyes off the sight, enjoying this opportunity and the comfort and warmth of the moment, before sliding his eyes close. Yes, he was content, and felt extremely grateful that Byakuya had stayed with him even after his little outburst, but what would the man say once he woke up and put the mask back on? Most likely, he would be terribly mortified, and would never talk to him again, or, in the best-case scenario, he would just act like all of this had never happened, and go back to his usual cold and sarcastic demeanor.

After all, for a noble of his standing -here, Ichigo ignored the little voice in his head which kept saying that he _was_ of equal nobility-, comforting someone he considered a child and a commoner -and male, at that! before being _forced_ to sleep in the same bed, was utterly unfathomable.

And Ichigo...

Ichigo, as strong as he was, didn't think he could bear to see disgust in those endless orbs of molten steel. He had been betrayed too many times already, and Byakuya had been his last anchor, his lifeguard.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing him, losing his friendship and esteem.

So, he gently freed himself of the embrace, and softly lifted himself up on his forearms, before hesitating, his eyes riveted on the peaceful face before him. Very gently, and slowly, he bent down, and brushed his lips against the pure white forehead in a soft caress.

"Thank you." He whispered in the softest murmur. "I will not burden you anymore."

Rising from the bed, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom, where he quickly stripped off his pants -Byakuya had taken off his shirt before taking him to bed, it seemed-, and turned on the shower. Stepping under the hot spray of water, he let the steady fall of the water drops relax his tense muscles, and stayed in there until he really couldn't take the heat anymore. Feeling better now that the shower had somewhat drained away the negative thoughts, he pulled on his usual clothes -except for the color, since the top was dark red today, and exited the bathroom, rubbing his hair with a towel, only to stop short as a pair of steel gray eyes immediately pinned him to his spot.

Byakuya was awake, and sitting on the bed. He had looked up when the bathroom door had opened, and the two found themselves in an eyelock, unable to either tear their eyes away from each other, or just speak. The two men stared at each other for a while, frozen still and silent, before finally, Ichigo bowed his head in a gesture of respect, the first one in a very long time.

And then, he fled the room.

When Byakuya finished getting ready for the day, he exited the DADA teacher's bedroom, only to find a note on the living room table.

_Kuchiki-kyo, _

_I have a staff meeting so, I must leave you alone for a while. Feel free to wander around the grounds. I will meet up with you later for breakfast if you so desire. _

_Shihouin Azrael _

No titles or anything indicating an equal rank. The young man must have been deeply distressed, Byakuya thought as he put the note down and exited the chambers. He hesitated slightly at the portrait, but then turned to the right and started making his way down, and in the direction he thought the Entrance Hall was. He longed for a bit of fresh air.

He had just reached the Great Hall when he was stopped by a familiar figure, and stopped, inclining his head in greeting, while easily ignoring the stares and whispers -again. The girl looked up at him through narrowed gray eyes, her demeanor stiff and her mouth set in a frown.

"_Lord Kuchiki._" She said.

"_Kurosaki Karin._" Was the simple reply.

She stood there for a second, seemingly undecided, but he waited patiently. He had all the time in the world, and knowing her, she hadn't stopped him without a purpose. He just had to wait until she found the correct way to put it.

"_I... How is the war going?_" She finally asked.

He rose an eyebrow.

"_I am afraid I cannot answer this question, Karin-san. You are a human, one who is not a part of Seireitei._"

Anger flashed through her features, but it was brief as lightning, and quickly passed.

"_Surely, you can tell me something? Anything?_"

He looked at her calmly, molten steel studying her thoroughly. She seemed determined enough, and if giving her inconsequential news could help Ichigo get her off his back, then...

"_The war seems to be at a standstill._" He said. "_There have been no attacks to speak of for the past two weeks, but we keep our guard up. When Aizen strikes -and he will, it will be brutal. We want to be prepared. That is all I can tell you._"

She bit her lower lip, eyes down, before nodding slowly. When she looked up, there was a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, before she bowed deeply to him.

"_Thank you very much, Lord Kuchiki._" She turned to leave, but then, hesitated, and shot over her shoulder. "_Please take care of my brother._"

She walked swiftly through the doors of the Great Hall, and he saw her join the farthest table on the right, with the students in green and silver. Her reiatsu was somewhat lighter, he noticed, and he felt glad he had answered her questions at least partially. For some reason he couldn't fathom, it seemed like she was reassured, maybe because it meant some more respite for her brother, but he wouldn't venture to conjecturing about her motives, and so he decided to leave it at that, and resumed his walk towards the Main Doors.

He stopped at the top of the front steps, and let his gaze wander over the grounds, humming in approval at the scenery. Endless, luscious green grass, a calm lake the surface of which a large tentacle broke through time and again, and the edge of a thick, dark forest in the distance... He could feel the strange reiatsu -magic, pulsing gently under the waters of the lake, and stronger in the forest.

_The Forbidden Forest Azrael had told him about, most likely. _

Inclining his head in a gesture of satisfaction, he was about to make his way down the steps, when he heard a badly-muffled "that's the guy from yesterday!" behind him. Turning, he rose an eyebrow at the red-head whose mouth a brunette had just slapped her hand over to shut him up, and watched with inward amusement as the boy turned scarlet.

"I must say, your observation skills must be commended, Mr...?" He drawled, thoroughly enjoying the embarrassment that radiated off the child in waves.

"Weasley, Ron Weasley." The boy said.

Byakuya looked at the rest of the group. Two in particular stood in the front, closer to the the gangly youth, and he assumed...

"I presume you two would be Granger Hermione and Potter Harry, then?"

The brown-haired girl and black-haired boy nodded, before quickly introducing the rest of their group. The girl, he noted, was considerate enough to say the family names before the given names as per Japanese custom, and he hummed under his breath. She was smart, and gentle, reminding him a little of Kurosaki Yuzu, but at the same time, she was fiercer than the blonde would ever be. There was another Weasley, a girl, a brown-haired boy named Longbottom Neville, a blonde with glassy blue eyes, Lovegood Luna, and a few others,but their reiatsu was noticeably lower than those few.

"My name is Kuchiki Byakuya." He finally said.

There were a few seconds of silence as he turned back to the scenery, and he could feel the group exchanging glances, before they stepped forward to stand by him.

"Excuse-me, sir..." The brunette said, somewhat hesitantly. "Are you a friend of Professor Kurosaki's?"

Molten steel looked up and away from her in favor of sweeping over the grounds.

"Yes... I suppose you could say we are friends." He answered slowly.

The students' auras flared in curiosity.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I wonder..." He murmured more to himself than her, before snapping back to the present. "Kurosaki Ichigo and I are allies first and foremost."

"You mean in that war you are fighting?" He glanced at her, inwardly amused by her clumsy attempts at subtly getting him to spill the beans. Unfortunately for her, she was seventeen, and he was over two-hundred years old, meaning that he had far more experience than her, and that was even without counting the manipulative environment he had been brought up in. He was extremely skilled in bending words and twisting truths, and it wasn't a child like her who would hear classified information from his lips.

"Yes, Ms Granger, in this war we are fighting."

She bit her lip, uncertain.

"Can you tell me what the factions involved are? I looked it up, of course, but I couldn't find any reference to a war in Japan ever since the end of the Great Shinobi Wars, and that was over a century ago..."

_Aren't you a nosy one..._

"No, Ms Granger, I will not tell you anything. There is a reason why that information is classified, and I will not be the one to disclose such important secrets to you. Now..."

"_Byakuya._"

He turned abruptly to face Ichigo, and noticed immediately the dark rings under the man's eyes. He also looked worried, he noticed, and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as his colleague approached him, barely sparing a glance at the students.

"_Are you alright? I am sorry I left so early this morning and left you alone, but I had a staff meeting, and..._"

He trailed off as an elegant hand was raised to stop him. There was anxiety in his eyes, though well hidden, and Byakuya felt his mouth turn downwards in a frown. Instantly, the anxiety doubled and even turned into slight fear.

"_I am a grown man, Azrael, I can take care of myself. And I understand perfectly. You have a job here, I would never try to keep you from it. I apologize if my actions indicated otherwise._"

The man looked distinctly relieved, and his shoulders sagged ever so slightly as he let his body relax a little.

"_Thank you._"

The noble hesitated, but then went on after a glance at the students. After all, none of them could understand Japanese, now, could they?

"_Also, do not worry about last night. I understand perfectly, and I am glad I was the one you chose. I find myself honored. Thank you._" Bowing, he brought his right hand to a fist over his chest to emphasize the true honor he felt he had been given to be the one chosen to witness the young captain's tears and weakness, and to have been the one said man sought comfort from. He straightened up after a few seconds, only to be met with a burning pair of stunned mismatched orbs, wide with bewilderment and awe.

"_I..._"

The corner of his lips curled up. He knew the other man was speechless, and that there was actually nothing to be said, but Ichigo didn't want to sound disrespectful, ungrateful or indifferent, and so he felt the need to put indescribable feelings into words.

"_I know._" He said simply, before turning back to the park. "_Let us train, why not?_"

Ichigo started slightly, but walked over to him nonetheless.

"_Why not? Swords only, yes?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Less damage this way, I imagine._" Ichigo chuckled lowly, before gesturing for him to follow. "_Let's go to the Quidditch Pitch. There's a lot of space there."_

And so they walked down the lawn and to said place, where Ichigo's offer to transfigure his friend's clothes into something more comfortable and fitted for combat was accepted. They stretched for a few minutes, going through their drills in silence, before standing face to face, a few feet distance between them.

"_Terms?_" Ichigo asked.

"_Kidô allowed, no releasing, no wizarding magic. Hand-to-hand allowed of course._"

A smirk.

"_Of course._"

Hazel and molten gold met steel, determination and concentration in narrowed eyes as both fighters slowly powered up, and adrenaline started pumping in their bodies. Ichigo's arms tensed ever so slightly as he spread them an inch away from his body, arching them in a graceful figure so as to better welcome the gathering spirit particles which were slowly gathering in his hands. And as both blades finally materialized in the awaiting palms, Byakuya fell into guard, the sealed Senbonzakura guarding his chest, and then, they started moving.

o-O-o

They had followed the two men purely out of curiosity. Silently climbing in the bleachers and settling in the Gryffindor part, they had watched as the DADA teacher had transfigured the other's clothes, and concluded that he, too, was either a Squib, or a muggle. This was strange.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked Harry as he put his D.A. Galleon back into his pocket, and she could feel hers warming in her robes.

"If they're going to fight, and their war really is as he says," the dark-haired male said, "then I want the rest to see this. It should be extremely interesting."

She nodded, there was no fault to his reasoning. They listened carefully to the terms as the Kuchiki Lord spoke them, and gasped when shining particles gathered in their Professor's outstretched palms, only to form two sharp, and unbelievably beautiful katanas. The man fell in a low combat stance, the darker sword pointed forward at eye-level, and the other, crossed before his lower body in a protective shield.

The dark-haired noble, on the other hand, had turned to the side, one foot placed before the other, and both hands gripping at the handle of his sword, held the blade in a diagonal, thus guarding his own torso as well.

They stared at each other in silence for a second, and the students almost stopped breathing as something heavy suddenly permeated the air, making it harder to inhale, purring lowly around them, spreading everywhere, and suddenly, as they saw the thin tendrils of whitey pink and crimson-lined black dancing around the two men's feet, they understood. It was the sensation of pure, unadulterated _power_. And its potency, even as it was so obviously restrained, was enough to send shivers down their spines.

They barely saw the first move, and had a lot of trouble keeping up with the action. The two Japanese men moved with such grace, such speed and yet, such balance and power, that they couldn't tear their eyes off the show. Blades clashed and sparks ignited from the contact, while blood started flowing after ten minutes, but neither combatant gave any sign of stopping any time soon. They kicked, dodged, ducked, swirled and slashed, parried and counterattacked relentlessly, never giving up an inch of space, always regaining what they had lost, always retaliating whenever a blow had been successfully dealt.

It was a beautiful, entrancing dance, and the whole world seemed to have shut up and turned in this direction, entirely focused on the spar, shamelessly abandoning whatever they had been doing to watch, watch this incredibly show of might and ability, grace and lethal skills, power and knowledge.

Pain didn't exist in this dimension. Time didn't flow. And space was a ridiculous notion when you had these two fighters in action under your eyes. Everything revolved around them, they were the universe. There was no way to look somewhere else, no way to pay attention to something else, no way to listen, or see, or taste, or feel anything other than their power, their fight, their friendship.

Because that was what they were. Friends. It was obvious in every move, in every kick, in every attack and defense. The passion in both men's eyes, the fire blazing in the once dull and cold orbs, the lethal shining in their blades, as if they were glowing, _humming_ with joy as they tasted blood, was enough to tell that all this thirst for blood and violence was something they dearly cherished, even though, for some reason, they would never go as far as to seriously injure the other. It was paradoxical, it was incomprehensible, it was a mystery.

It was the way of the Shinigami Noble Clan Heads Kuchiki and Shihouin, but they didn't know that. And when it finally came to an end and their heads finally cleared, they noticed that somewhere during the duel, the others had arrived, but, seeing as the D.A. wasn't a secret anymore, they had brought their friends, and teachers had heard about the fight, and then tagged along, and somehow, almost the whole school was there, staring dazedly at the pair.

It was only at that point that they realized how beaten and bloody they were. But they were still standing tall and proud, and held their blades in a firm grip, right across the neck of one another.

"Goodness gracious..." Someone finally said.

Harry looked up, and saw McGonagall standing there, her eyes wide and her mouth ajar, along with Dumbledore, Snape, and most of the staff. Snape's onyx eyes were wide open, his breathing slightly ragged, and his hands, tightly fisted at his side.

"And they didn't even use magic..." Pomona Sprout added in awe.

"Maybe they _were_ telling the truth about their war." Aurora Sinistra said. "Nobody can move like that without having some serious experience and need to. And they're so young..."

"We've got to get these guys in the Order, Professor." Ron finally said. "With them, we'll crush the Death Eaters in no time."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, but Snape sneered.

"Don't be daft, boy. Do you really think Kurosaki will accept after everything we have done to him? Never."

"Professor Snape is right, Ron." Hermione sighed. "We dug into his past -a painful past without his consent, and demanded he show us his arms, when he actually hid them because of his scars... We have no right to ask anything of him."

"What's more," Harry said in a low, regretful voice, "he already has enough on his plate with the war in Japan. He doesn't need a Death Eater hunt on top of that."

They fell silent as the crowd of students cheered, roared and clapped around them, noticing the vaguely surprised looks on the fighters' face, before they schooled their features in their usual blank mask again, and bowed slightly. Then, they turned around, and walked away, their gait seemingly unaffected by the wounds they had sustained, even though they were walking a little slower.

o-O-o

"_Gosh, I'm tired._"

Amused by the teenager-like sigh, Byakuya glanced over at Ichigo, who was sprawled on the bed on which he had thrown himself. Rubbing a towel in his hair, he let his lips tilt up in a small smile. The man could just be so... endearing. It was disconcerting, really, how such a mighty warrior and high noble could inadvertently act so refreshingly.

Arms folded under his head, the younger captain looked at him from under his lashes.

"_So, what do you want to do now?_"

"_First, you are going to take a shower. I refuse to show myself in public with a bloody and sweaty_ _companion stinking like a common farm boy_."

Ichigo scowled, but sat up nonetheless, grabbed a towel, and locked himself in the bathroom. The door opened again ten minutes later, and the dark-haired noble could only nod in approval at the clothes the man had chosen: dark green top, dark brown pants, dragon-hide boots. And of course, the usual leather protections and choker. The silver caught a sunbeam, shimmering slightly, and he inclined his head.

"_These colors suit you._"

The young man's head snapped to him, eyes slightly widened in surprise, but he was quick to regain his composure, and smiled, features softening and face glowing ever so slightly. Byakuya's breath caught in his throat.

"_Thanks._"

It was soft, so low that he barely heard it, but it was enough. Because the tone, the demeanor, the gentle smile and affectionate eyes said it all. He stood.

"_Let us go and eat. I am afraid I have to leave this evening. The Captain-Commander requires I be ready for anything as of tomorrow six in the morning._"

The rest of the day was spent talking, reading and generally having a good time together. Since it was Sunday, the students could still go to Hogsmeade, and so they went as well, visited a few shops, tried wizarding candies -for Byakuya, anyway, went to the Shrieking Shack and just walked around. At seven o'clock, they went back to the castle with the students, acting as a protective guard of sorts, before having dinner in the Great Hall with everybody.

And then came the time for Byakuya to go back to Soul Society. They left Hogwarts and walked to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, before going in a little deeper to prevent anybody from catching sight of the _Senkaïmon_ opening. The Shinigami drew Senbonzakura from his sheath and stuck him in the air, before turning it with a ninety degrees angle. Japanese sliding doors appeared in the air and opened, before another set followed their examples, and a black butterfly fluttered out of the portal.

Sheathing his Zanpakutô, Byakuya turned to his friend. The man was tense, his face blank of emotions, but his eyes swirling with sadness and loneliness. They stood in silence for a few seconds, none of them wanting to initiate the goodbyes, before suddenly...

_To Hell with the protocol. _

The Kuchiki Clan Head grabbed Ichigo's wrists painfully, and tugged brutally, pulling him against his chest, before wrapping his arms around the slim but strong body, and holding him there. The hybrid stiffened at first, but then relaxed, and burrowed his face in the taller male's collarbone, embracing him back. They stayed like that for an endless time, they wouldn't have known how long, but it could have been minutes or centuries, and they wouldn't have seen them pass.

Manners and aloofness had been drilled into their heads for months and years on end, emotions, were a weakness, and public displays of affection, completely unfathomable, especially for two nobles of their rank. They were at the top, only accountable to the King, and as such, had to be seen as strict, unwavering, and always firm in their positions and duties. But this -this went against everything they had been taught, and yet, it felt right. They belonged in each other's arms, and nowhere else. Together, they could be themselves. With each other, they could be truthful. And as a pair, they were a warrior's nightmare.

Yet, embracing in a dark, foreboding forest, they were nothing of those. Warriors, Clan Heads, Leaders... They were men, flawed loath as they were to admit it. And no man could go through everything they had without relying on someone else to lift the burden the tiniest bit. In each other, they had found an enemy, a rival, an esteemed opponent, a sparring partner, a comrade in arms, a trusted adviser, a friend, a confidante.

Byakuya squeezed the slighter body gently, before stepping back, and to the Spirit Gate.

"_Goodbye._"

The doors slid close, but he caught the tiny whisper, quickly taken away by the gently breeze.

"_Come back to me._"

And for some reason, it made him incredibly happy. The last thing Ichigo saw of Byakuya before the portal shut fully, was molten steel glowing by some inner light, and a genuine smile, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. His breath hitched, and his lips parted, but before he could say anything, the portal had started vanishing, and it was over. He was left alone in the Forbidden Forest, alone with his thoughts and regrets and loneliness, and the vague remnants of reiatsu wisps proving that his dear friend's presence had not been a dream.

o-O-o

"Sit down, sit down, thank you for coming."

The members of the Order of the Phoenix shut up and turned their attention to the old wizard sitting at the front of the room, behind his desk. They had been summoned unexpectedly, and they couldn't even fathom the reason for this: there had been no Death Eater activity for the past two weeks, after all.

"Is this about the boy again, Albus?" Moody grunted.

The man's blue eyes twinkled merrily at the senior Auror's perspicacity. He looked around the room. Everyone had tensed and straightened up when Mad-Eye had spoken, and they all looked definitely more interested than before at the prospect of discovering something new about the enigmatic DADA teacher. He popped a lemon drop in his mouth.

"Indeed it is. Mr Potter, would you please tell those of us who haven't been at Hogwarts this weekend?"

The boy nodded.

"Yes, Professor. This weekend, Professor Kurosaki received a visit from a dark-haired man with the same demeanor as him, who he introduced as Lord Kuchiki Byakuya. When we spoke to him, the man admitted to being at least a comrade of Kurosaki's in the war in Japan, and at best a close friend of his. He got extremely upset when we tried to get information about the war, though."

"Was he a wizard?" Tonks asked.

Harry shook his head.

"I don't think so. When we were at the Three Broomsticks, right after they met up, Hermione cast a translation charm on them, and the Professor talked about the wizarding world, describing it in detail, while the other just listened."

"A muggle, then?" Arthur Weasley sounded excited.

The Boy-Who-Lived shrugged.

"Don't think so either. He _was_ able to see Hogwarts despite the muggle-repelling charms on it, after all, and he _did_ materialize a sword from nowhere during their spar earlier today."

"Do you have a memory of this for us to view?" Shacklebot said. "I think it would be extremely useful."

"Let us hear the rest of the story first, Kingsley." Dumbledore advised. "Please continue, Harry."

"Yes, Professor. As I was saying, he doesn't seem to be either a wizard or a muggle, and he isn't a Squib. After lunch yesterday, we caught them as they exited the Room of Requirement, though, and followed them to the Professor's chamber. They had a very interesting conversation."

He told them all about what they had heard, and then, paused to gather his thoughts.

"So they are fighting against wizards as well, and he is under orders to lure us over to their side?" Bill summed it up.

"And he refused." Charlie pointed out.

"Yes." Harry confirmed.

"What else?"

"Earlier today, we had the privilege to see the two spar together. We will see the memory in a second, and if this doesn't rid you of any doubts concerning a war in Japan, then nothing will ever. Harry, if you will."

The seventeen year old stood up with a nod, raising the tip of his wand to his temple, and pulling out a silver thread of an ethereal substance, before putting it in the pensieve the old man had put on the desk before him. He stirred the liquid in the runes-engraved bowl for a second, then turned to them.

"After you."

And so they dove inside, and found themselves in the bleacher, along with the other Order members. They immediately saw the two opponents, and watched intently as the duel started, and unfolded before their bewildered eyes. When they came out, they remained silent for a while, mulling over what they had seen and trying to get over their shock.

It was Moody who spoke first, quick to regain his bearings as always.

"We've got to get him."

o-O-o

After Byakuya's departure, things gradually went back to normal, or as normal as they could be: Dumbledore and the Order members in the staff and students, though, kept shooting him calculating or awed glances, and he could feel eyes boring holes in the back of his skull wherever he went. It was getting rather annoying, especially since he already had a fairly good idea as to what they wanted with him, and it both suited and thwarted his purposes. Suited them because he did have an order from the Captain-Commander to rally the British wizards to their cause, and thwarted them because he had no interest in getting involved in yet another war, one which didn't concern him in the slightest, and with people who would only constantly criticize his methods and stab him in the back once he had won their fight for them.

Oh, he was realistic alright.

Those people abhorred Dark Magic, Elementals, Magical Creatures, anything and everything they couldn't understand or fathom. Unfortunately for him, on top of being part Shinigami, he was also part blood-thirsty Hollow, and a very, very Dark Wizard. Not that they knew that, he wasn't mad enough to let them get a grasp of his true nature, but the Light and its magic just didn't agree with him. He had a true affinity with the Black Arts, the Shadows, everything related to darkness, and since he _was_ a Being of Death himself, a Harbinger of Demise, an Angel of Death, a Grim Reaper, a Shinigami, whatever you wanted to call him, he was quite in tune with this aspect of life, and thus reacted better to the darkest aspects of magic.

It was his very own nature, and he wasn't about to deny it and give up his heritage and power for the sake of a bigoted batch of imbecilic, close-minded dimwits who had yet to find a better way to cast spells than channeling their power through -of all things!- a stick. A ridiculous, basic, wooden stick. It made him sick.

Oh, of course, he had one. Like every wizard or witch, he possessed a wand. But Japanese wizards didn't train the same way as western countries. They received a wand as soon as they turned two, and used it to consciously cast spells, never using words or incantations, but will and intention. Then, depending on the speed of their progress, they were introduced to wandless and elemental magic -that is, if they indeed were attuned to an element in particular. And Ichigo had proven to be an extremely powerful child.

Wondering about it, he had concluded it might be because of his heritage as a Shinigami, the immense amount of reiatsu powering his magical core, and helping it expand exponentially as months passed by. Maybe it was because his mother had been a very powerful witch, heiress to a prestigious line of Pureblood wizards deeply involved in both wizarding politics and the Spirit World affairs.

Nobody had known of the hidden heir of the Shihouin clan in either worlds, not the Elders Council, not the Central 46, not the Captain-Commander, not even the members of the Clan. Nobody, except for the sole person who had last shouldered the mantle, and even then, she had known her rule would only be temporary. She was the younger sister, and meant only to lead the Clan until her sister's heir was old and strong enough. Though only she had known there actually was an heir.

And Ichigo, as soon as he had turned two, had started training in magic, before being introduced to the Spirit World at fifteen, and showing his worth in an amazingly short amount of time. He had officially been introduced as Shihouin Azrael two years after that, as the war started getting really bad, and he had saved a good half of the Seireitei from getting torn asunder by an Arrancar attack, revealing his wizarding powers in the process, under the stunned eyes of the Elders Councils of the Kuchiki, Shihouin and Kasumi-Ouji clans, who had been trapped in the endangered buildings.

Thankfully enough, nobody else had seen, and his abilities had been kept secret, under the pretense that they were a family secret, and really, it was the truth. And nobody would ever dare go against the Shihouin Clan's desire, especially when it was about a secret shared exclusively between noble families.

It was a question of honor, and so it had never been revealed until this fateful day when he had had to announce his departure to England. And God, had Byakuya perfectly acted his part! It was almost frightening how talented the man was. With his looks, he could have made an amazing Hollywood star.

Ichigo let out a small chuckle as he scribbled another D on a third year's essay. The thought of his noble friend in a historical costume and makeup was quite amusing, especially considering how politics, wizarding or otherwise, were all a game of masks and manipulation. You couldn't survive if you didn't know how to put on the most appropriate expression at all times, and like a professional actor, the Kuchiki Clan Head did that perfectly.

* * *

><p><strong>So, did you like it? Alas, all good things must end and... <strong>

**... **

**Byakuya left! **

**Haha, you thought I was gonna say I was discontinuing the story, eh? Okay, okay, stop kicking and cursing me, I know that wasn't funny at all^^! You're still gonna review, aren't you? *Worried look* *Kicked puppy look* **

**Next time: Rita Skeeter, an attack and a fallout... **


	11. Fallout

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
>By Tango Dancer<strong>

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><p><strong>I'm so, so, so sorry for taking such a long time! I actually had writer's block in the middle of chapter 17, and I was terrified I wouldn't be able to finish the story or update too quickly so I would have to write chapters right before posting them... I don't know if that makes any sense, but anyway, I managed to write chapter 18 in one go, and I'm ready to start on chapter 19, so no worries. I'm kinda overwhelmed by my school work, I have so many things to do it's terrifying^^!<br>But! Here goes the chapter, I hope you like it! Thanks for all of your reviews, they really motivated and helped me! Thank you! **

**Also, I think I said Rita Skeeter would be in this chapter... Sorry, it was a mistake. She actually should make a grand entrance in chapter 18... I hope you'll enjoy it... I know I loved writing it! And now... on with the story!**

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><p><span>Chapter 11: Fallout:<span>

"Thanks, Ares."

The bird nipped at his fingers affectionately as he gave him a piece of bacon and filled a teacup with water, before unfolding the newspaper he had dropped in front of his plate. He had subscribed to the _Daily Prophet_ upon arriving in England to keep informed on the goings-on in the country, but had soon realized it was mostly rubbish: the main journalist, a woman called Rita Skeeter, wrote essentially scandals, involving Potter or other prominent wizards, and it didn't take a lot to understand that she enjoyed making up facts and twisting truths to annoy people. Thankfully, his arrival at the castle had gone relatively unnoticed, and hadn't been written about.

The paper, however, was very interesting, insofar as it allowed him to keep an eye on the major happenings here, see which way the political current was going, and understand the mentalities in the British Wizarding World. It was also a way to be up to date with the newest discoveries in the Magical World, though he already knew they were abysmally late compared to Japan. And that wasn't even considering the state of their magic-wielding.

However, the title today was vastly different from what it usually was:

**Death Eater attack on Diagon Alley! 15 dead, 70 gravely injured! **

Frowning, he glanced at the picture, which showed a devastated alley, and opened the paper at page 2 to read the article.

"_Yesterday evening, Diagon Alley was attacked by around fifty people all dressed in the Death Eater garb. They entered the Alley, Aurors surmise, the normal way, and most likely transfigured their robes in a hidden spot, concealing their faces with the usual white masks of terror, and then loomed up from nowhere, casting spells left and right, killing, but mostly maiming, destroying and torturing. The whole raid lasted a mere fifteen minutes, but it was enough to cause grievous damage and kill 15 people, among whom half were children, and send almost a hundred people to St-Mungo's. _

_Several shops also suffered from the attack, such as the Leaky Cauldron, Madam Malkin's, and Flourish and Blott's, though Gringotts thankfully remained untouched, despite all the spells cast against it. One can wonder whether the real goal of the Death Eaters was to actually steal money from the bank, or just to frighten people. _

_Then again, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown: former Death Eaters, nostalgics, or minions of a new Dark Lord? The Boy-Who-Lived is still studying at Hogwarts, and this time, there is no prophecy to save us... _

_What is the Ministry doing? What are the thoughts of Albus Dumbledore on this matter? Those are questions we could unfortunately not answer, since nobody from the former would answer us, and the latter could not be reached. _

_Let us just hope this is not the prelude to another war. _

_Janine Ryker._"

There were also various pictures of the scene, showing people running and screaming, corpses laying down, grief-stricken people leaning over the dead, crying, and a big picture of the dead children's mutilated bodies and glassy open eyes. Ichigo scowled. How dare they publish such horrible photos? He could already hear horrified sobs and screams in the Great Hall, and saw that most of the students were leaning over the paper, reading with growing horror and fear, and sometimes glancing askance at Severus. The man, however, wasn't paying any attention to them, busy as he was studying the pictures, but to anyone who knew him, it was obvious that he was deeply disturbed by the events. He was very pale, and didn't look too well.

Shaking his head slightly, Ichigo looked over at his sisters, to make sure they were okay, and wasn't surprised to see that Yuzu looked like she was about to cry, her lower lip trembling, and her face drained of blood. Glancing over at Karin, he saw that she, on the contrary, looked completely emotionless, her eyes hard and lips pursed in a thin line. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, barely refraining from jumping as a hand landed on his shoulder. It was his father, who was looking at him seriously for once. His eyes darted briefly to the headmaster, then Severus, but it was enough.

Ichigo had known ever since he had read the headlines that the Order would make a quick move to get him with them, and ensure his loyalties lay with the Light. This event came at the wrong time: the Light Wizards would try to recruit him, most likely unable to fathom a Dark Wizard not being a Death Eater, and then demand he fight, and were he to refuse, they would get even more suspicious than they had ever been before, dig into his past, and keep pressuring him until he had no other choice than to leave. And that he couldn't afford. Because for one his sisters needed their education, and couldn't get it in Japan, and second, he was still on a mission here, and couldn't handle it if he was in France or wherever, which would make the old fart demand he return.

He ran a hand through his hair and stood up, nodding at his father, before stalking out of the Hall, knowing that the older man would follow. They walked for some time, then stopped once they reached the Defense classroom. Ichigo put up silencing charms, and turned to his father.

"_I can't afford this._"

Isshin nodded.

"_But you can't leave either. For one, it would be very suspicious, and you wouldn't be able to complete your mission_."

The hybrid inclined his head.

"_I have to speak to the Captain-Commander. See what line of conduct I should follow._"

"_But your lessons..._"

"_I will go tonight, when everybody is asleep, and come back before dawn. Kon will take my body._"

The former Shinigami's eyes shone merrily at the thought.

"_Don't you fear he will wreck havoc in the school and act uncharacteristically?_"

Ichigo's face turned threatening.

"_If he does, I'll make sure he regrets ever having been created. I will warn him beforehand._"

"_Okay._"

And with that, the older man stepped out of the room, while Ichigo just sat at his desk and started perusing the third years' essays, sighing from time to time and generally waiting for his next class to show up.

o-O-o

When dusk came, Ichigo quickly ate dinner, before nodding ever so slightly to his father and leaving the Great Hall to go back to his quarters. There, he pulled out the lion plushie which usually contained Kon, before digging out the pill from its mouth, much to its indignation. But he ignored the muffled yells, used as he was to the scene, and popped the Mod-Soul in his mouth, and swallowing. His spirit separated from his body with a small flash, and he looked at Kon as he stood up.

"_Listen. I'm going to speak to the old fart. I am here pretty much undercover, and I won't have you ruining everything I had those people believe. So you are to stay in my quarters, meaning here, not touch anything, not leave, and just be quiet. Understood? If someone comes, pretend you're asleep. Am I clear?_"

Kon nodded, and Ichigo started to turn around.

"_One last thing: if you screw up, you'll regret ever coming into this world._"

The Mod-Soul gulped at the gleaming eyes which promised pain, but nevertheless nodded again, obediently, and the hybrid left silently through the window, landing with a brief flash of Shunpo on the perfectly kept lawn. There, he quickly stepped out of the wards, and opened a Garganta in the Forbidden Forest, away from prying eyes, and stepped in, closing the portal behind him as he did. Channeling his reiatsu into his feet so that he could create a path of energy to walk on amidst the swirling darkness of limbo, he advanced for some time, allowing Shiro to guide him, though by now, he was quite capable to find his way by himself, until he finally stopped and opened the exit with a flick of his fingers.

He stood at the edge of the gaping hole for a few seconds, admiring the calm of the Soul Society as it lay resting before him, before lowering himself to the ground and letting the tearing in the sky fade away and disappear. He made his way over to the the First Division barracks quickly, and from there to the Soutaichou's quarters, were he found the old man sitting on a cushion on the balcony which overlooked the Seireitei. He was nursing a cup of tea between his large palms, a small spoon clinging against the porcelain from time to time, and gazing thoughtfully out the barrack.

"_Shihouin-kyo._" He said, not turning. "_Please sit down_."

The young man complied, accepting a cup of tea with a nod at the white-haired lieutenant.

"_I have come for instructions._" He said bluntly. He didn't have time to lose beating around the bush. "_The attacks in the Wizarding World have gone worse, and the Order of the Phoenix is targeting me. They want me with them, but are still suspicious. The type of Magic I wield is feared and looked down upon in Europe, and I fear that were I to join, they would have inappropriate reactions to my way of fighting. _

"_Also, the fact is that they want me to fight for them against the former followers of the late Dark Lord, while I already have a mission, and was supposed to keep a low profile. However, it is true that by accepting the offer, I could gather information and trust, though I repeat it will be extremely difficult and risky, and lure them over to our side in the war. _

"_I feel compelled to precise, however, that they are extremely weak, experience-lacking and untrained compared to Japanese wizards, and would not be of any help except for maybe getting slaughtered and giving us five minutes to elaborate a strategy._"

The Captain-Commander kept silent for a while, thoughtfully sipping his tea, before finally speaking in that low, rumbling voice of his.

"_You will join the Order of the Phoenix and try to persuade them over to our side, by underlining the attacks which took place in the Wizarding World over the past few months. However... you are not to take them to battle unless they agree to undergo intense training under your tutelage. We need competent, powerful allies, not a bunch of meat. Questions?_"

Ichigo, who had gotten a sinking feeling at the old man's first words, barely held in a relieved sigh, and shook his head elegantly.

"_No. If you will excuse me, I have to be back before dawn. Kon is guarding my body, but he has none of my knowledge in magical matters. He will not be of much help were he to be confronted to Wizards._"

The old man nodded.

"_Very well. You are dismissed._"

The wizard wasted no time standing up and heading out, and stretching a hand out. But at the last moment, he found that it was only 12:00 am, and so he changed his mind, comforted by the knowledge that it wouldn't be the first night he lost some sleep, and headed East, where he stopped by an open window. A soft burst of Shunpo and he was standing on the windowsill, studying the dark room, listening to the heavy breathing of the sleeping person. Not even questioning the oddity of his actions, he stepped forward, landing soundlessly on the wooden floor, and studied the room. It was large, pretty bare, with a traditional sliding door, a side table by the bed which was, surprisingly enough, not a futon laid on the ground, and a walk-in closet. He guessed the man used a large bathroom somewhere close in the mansion.

A desk and a simple chair sat under the window, papers neatly arranged on the wooden surface, and the man's folded clothes were laid on the chair. Ichigo let a small smile grace his lips as he could only acknowledge the room as his friend's. It was so like him: organized, clean, tidy... He turned to the bed, and stepped forward, slowly, almost hesitantly, before stopping right beside it.

Byakuya was sleeping, and God, was he _beautiful_.

Black, silky hair was strewn around his head in a dark crown, contrasting sharply with the flawless, milky white skin that a single ray of moonlight gave a gentle glow to. He was ethereal like that, the lines of his face smoothed out of their mask of rigidity and emotionlessness by sleep and rest. He looked almost... fragile. Perfection incarnate, and Ichigo found himself feeling bitter at the thought that such a perfect man would never want to associate with him, not understanding why the noble was actually hanging out with him for tea or coming to visit him at Hogwarts.

A barely audible sigh escaped his lips, and the not-so-sleeping man peered through dark eyelashes to look at him, seeking to understand what the younger captain was thinking about. He saw that he had a conflicted look on his face, and was looking away, running a hand through his hand in a gesture that Byakuya had learned meant he was confused, tortured, and the noble ached to just pull him down and keep him here, safe until he was better and strong.

Mismatched eyes turned back to him, and for a second, he feared he had been discovered when murmured words fell from the young man's lips, but he wasn't, and he relaxed further in his bed, listening attentively.

"_I-don't understand. I don't understand why you would associate with me, why you would talk to me, why you would have me over for tea or dinner, why you would write me or come see me at Hogwarts. I'm... well, yeah, I'm a noble and a Shinigami, and a captain and all that but I mean... I'm still part Hollow, part human, part wizard, and even as a mortal, I'm bloody _dark_, while you... Just look at you. You're damn perfect, you're strong, hell, you're _beautiful_! And look at me: all brawn no brains, younger than you of a few centuries most likely, only a snotty brat compared to you, ill-mannered, disrespectful, and dark, dark, dark, compared to your light..._"

He looked away for a second, his hands tightening into fists as he went on.

"_You just have to look: my reiatsu's black, yours is white. My eyes, mismatched, but brown from the start, yours, a clear shade of molten steel... And your way of fighting, your way of being, _everything_! Your clothes, your attitude... Where my mask hides darkness, yours hides a pure soul, why would you bear my presence?_"

His voice softened as he looked down once again, and Byakuya felt himself overwhelmed by a strange emotion at the grief and self-horror he could see in the swirling orbs. And when he spoke again, it was barely a whisper.

"_I don't think I would survive it if you threw what we have in my face, Byakushi. I find myself... attached to you. For some reason, the cold, heartless bastard I used to see you as all but disappeared before my eyes, leaving _you_ in his place, and I can't let go. Even though I know there's a catch to your befriending me, I can't bring myself to give this up. I think..._"

He trailed off, looking up and away again, before focusing on the pale face again.

"_I think, somewhere along the way, I must have fallen in love with you._"

For all his legendary control, Byakuya had never expected something like that, and he just couldn't help it. He gasped, his eyes snapped wide open and he stared up at the frozen form of his fellow noble. They looked at each other for a few seconds, and then, suddenly, Ichigo snapped back to reality, and hardened his features into a blank mask, before turning and disappearing in a burst of Shunpo. The dark-haired man didn't even have the time to get up to follow that he could feel the opening and immediate closing of a Garganta in the distance.

o-O-o

He panted slightly as he opened the Garganta and let himself fall out of the portal, ramming gracelessly into the hard ground. Byakuya had heard him, listened to him, faked sleep, and was most likely still hunched over laughing in a decidedly un-Kuchiki-like manner at his confession, his stupid rambling, his idiotic words... God, why had he felt the need to go and see the man sleeping, like a psychopathic stalker? Why? Why did he have to screw up their tentative relationship? After all the struggle they had had to go through to finally be civil to each other, he had to go and blurt out nonsense before running like a moron!

He wasn't a mortal teenage girl, for Salazar's sake!

And yet here he was, running like he had the devil on his tail, his mind too much of a mess to actually think of using Shunpo, uncaring if the fact that he might be seen, that his cover could be blown and his nature be exposed for all to see, that everything he had done until then could be for naught now, and that...

He was too tired, too agitated, unable to think, he just...

He had been _heard_!

Byakuya _knew_!

He. was. so. screwed!

He barely noticed he had reached the Main Doors, and skid to a stop at the top of the front steps, temporarily forgetting how he was supposed to get back in. Then, his instincts and intensive training seemed to cut through the confusion and swirling chaos of his mind, and, in a burst of Shunpo, he found himself standing at the top of the roof of the highest tower. He stood there, frozen, and gazed down on the school grounds, vaguely admiring the shine of the Black Lake's waters under the moon, and the darkness of the Forbidden Forest as magical creatures stalked under its foliage. Every one of his thoughts was centered around a single question: what the hell had happened?

He didn't -couldn't understand.

Why had he gone?

Why had he started babbling like some mindless kid?

And why, why the hell had he said something like that?

"I think, somewhere along the way, I must have fallen in love with you."

In love? He hadn't even thought about his words, they had just fallen from his lips, just like that, it had been completely natural, a reminder of his previously blunt and direct personality... Just like...

Just like it had been the truth.

He watched as an owl dove at break-neck speed towards the top of the trees, most likely to take a rat or some over prey.

_Fallen in love with you..._

Was he in love with Byakuya?

The man was beautiful, of course, and desirable... Scratch that, he was far more than desirable, he was dam gorgeous, and Ichigo knew for a fact that there were countless men and women drooling over him and his perfect face and body everywhere he went to. But he had always ignored them, keeping his composure and icy demeanor perfectly.

He was also, as Ichigo had experiences first-hand, a strong warrior, with pride and honor. Their first encounter had ended with the Substitute emptying himself of blood on the road, while the second had been a close call: he had almost lost. Anyway, the man refused to submit to an opponent, and just kept fighting until the end, he was fierce in a fight, a good strategist, and a great leader, respected both as a captain and a Clan Head.

But above all that, he had a golden heart, though he would never ever let anyone see that. Anyone, but for Ichigo. The hybrid had seen, he had felt, he had heard. The older captain had comforted him when he had broken down, assured him he had worth, supported him and even shared his bed instead of just leaving him after his crisis, he had listened to him attentively, had him over regularly for tea or meals, fought and trained with him, helped him with his Kido, been his warring partner, and guided him whenever he had trouble with his leading the Shihouin Clan.

He had been a friend, a brother, a confidante...

Did Ichigo wish for more?

The young man ran a weary hand through his hair. How to answer such a question when he had no one to talk to about it? There was no one he trusted enough, felt comfortable enough with to go to so as to get help sorting his feelings out, and so here he was, standing on the tip of the Astronomy tower of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, trying to solve sentimental problems and determine whether he was in love with a _man_, who had already been _married_, to a _woman_, and was therefore most likely _straight_. Like an arrow.

**'Ya sure are in a pinch, _Aibou_!'** Shiro's mocking voice echoed at the back of his mind, before he materialized beside him, effortlessly standing up in the air like anyone would on firm ground.

Ichigo glanced at him from the corner of his eye, and scowled at the mocking smirk on his albino twin's black lips.

"_Shut up, you suck_."

"**Na, ya need someone ta talk ta, well, I'm 'ere, ain't I? Talk ta me!"**

The hybrid crossed his arms over his chest.

"_As if_."

"**Look... Ya like 'is company, when 'e talks ta ya, an' ya enjoy sparring against 'im, don't ya? Ya miss 'im when 'e's not there, and confessed being in luv with 'im even though ya didn't even 'ave acknowledged it, didn't ya? I say ya're in luv with Captain Pretty, _Aibou_!" **

Ichigo scoffed, running long fingers through his hair once more. Shiro was right. Everything he said was the undeniable truth, and... A white hand touching his bicep had him looking up in the mismatched eyes of his doppelganger, and he could only stare, mesmerized.

"**I'm ya, _Aibou_. I know 'ow ya're feelin'. Trust me, what I just said 's all true, an' even if it wasn't, yar lettin' it drop like that proves ya at least 'ave feelings fer 'im. Now ya just 'ave to get 'im."**

The Hollow watched disapprovingly but knowingly as his King's face closed off. He had known he would react like that, he wasn't a part of him for nothing, after all, but still, he was frustrating how the young man was completely unaware of his charm, charism, beauty and general strength and attraction. Seriously! There was a reason to why people were all attracted to him like a magnet, and couldn't stay indifferent to him: either they became enemies or allies, but nobody could stand to just keep to the sidelines when it came to the young Clan Head of the Shihouin. They either fought or joined him, but never kept away.

Because it was his nature.

He was a unique being, one of grace, nobility, pride, honor and strength, yet gifted with a gentle heart and enormous power. He was born-leader, something his positions in the Shihouin Clan and as a captain only asserted further. But he wasn't fully conscious of the true depths of the power he had over the masses. That guy could take over a kingdom and be a complete tyrant, nobody would care, because he would unconsciously have them smitten in a few hours top, without even trying to charm them.

The Hollow shook his head. It was ridiculous, really, and yet...

"**Believe me, _Aibou_. Ya should go after 'im."**

And before the hybrid could answer, he was gone.

Ichigo stayed there, looking down at the calm landscape beneath him for some more time, before finally heading back as dawn started to peek through the edge of the Forbidden Forest, thin tendrils of pale light slowly lightening the darkness of the skies.

All that was left behind was a soft murmur carried by the nightly breeze, and the reflect of a painful decision.

"But he'll never want me..."

o-O-o

Nothing happened for the next few days. The members of the Order of the Phoenix kept glancing at him as more attacks were perpetrated, but nobody was ever caught, and there never was witnesses left. The Light wizards, though, didn't ask him to join, and he surmised that they were waiting for him to prove his loyalties in some way, prove that he wasn't a part of those murderers, and didn't support them in any way, shape or form.

He didn't really care. As long as they left him alone, he would have more time to concentrate on his other duties, namely teaching and investigating the Hollow attacks, despite the strange calm there had been regarding the latter since the Halloween event. Today, however, was the second Hogsmeade weekend, and he looked forward to getting out of the castle in human form and walking around a wizarding village like any other wizard. He could watch his sisters from afar, and generally have some kind of fun, buying whatever he needed or just wanted, on a whim, and just because he wanted to.

He had had no contact with Byakuya since his last journey to the Soul Society, and hadn't tried to change it, knowing despite the pain it caused him, that he had been rejected, which was completely normal, and that his existence and being in a relationship with someone would just endanger them, thus the reason for his staying alone forever. There was always someone trying to harm him, and since it didn't take a genius to understand that hurting his loved-ones was the best way to cause him damage, he preferred to stay by himself. There were too much people with close ties to him as it was, he wasn't about to jeopardize Byakuya's safety by entering a relationship with him.

He looked over the Great Hall as everyone was at breakfast, and almost smiled at Yuzu's animated face and Karin's crooked grin, so similar to his own, while she talked to Zabini. They were just as excited as the others at the idea of going to Hogsmeade, catching a butterbeer and raiding Honeydukes, and he let his eyes soften as he thought that coming to England had been the best decision. His sisters got to experience real school life, with people of their kin, and to have fun with friends they didn't need to hide their true nature from. Even through the trouble the past war was causing, they would get a chance to have a true place within the Magical Community.

He stayed seated at the Head Table until breakfast was over, perusing and signing as many documents as he could, making sure that nobody but him could read them, so that Snape, who could read and write Japanese as well as he spoke it -meaning fluently- wouldn't inadvertently see some of the matters addressed. Such as a report concerning a mission in Hueco Mundo, describing everything in detail. Once the teachers started leaving too, he stood up, gathered his folders and banished them back to his rooms, before heading out and walking to the village. He took his time, wanting to enjoy the feeling of the fresh breeze and the lightness of an almost reiatsu-free air, before strolling leisurely down the streets.

He bought several new quills, all prettier than the others, several packs of Mars bars, since the Weasley twins had expanded their joke shop into a sweets one and introduces Muggle sweets to the Wizarding World, and it had been far too long since he had got to eat some, along with a dozen books on Magical Fauna and Flora of England and Europe. He wasn't very knowledgeable in this domain, seeing as he knew more about his side of the world's, and hadn't ever thought he would come over to western countries. Following his stop at the bookshop, he went to the Apothecary, and got himself a whole set of new ingredients. He had read something about a Wolfsbane Potion, and wanted to try it, despite not really seeing the usefulness of it. After all, it had been proven for quite some time, in Japan, that fusing with the Wolf Spirit was far more efficient than denying it. But since this potion was one of Severus' creations and said to be one of the most difficult potions to brew in the world, he wanted to try and see if he could do it.

He was on his way to the _Three Broomsticks_ when the first scream echoed in the village. Students started to run everywhere and scattered like a flock of frightened birds, uncaring of the things they trampled, people they ran into, and generally did everything you shouldn't do when under attack, still yelling their lungs out all the while. Ichigo, who had shrunk his purchases and secured them in his pocket, sighed inwardly and got his wand out, already knowing what was going on, and that the oncoming fight would need him exhibiting a wand, lest he attract unwanted attention.

People clad in black robes, their faces concealed by white masks, were shooting offensive and potentially lethal spells right and left, aiming for humans as well as buildings, and just causing as much havoc as they could. The young man noticed immediately how nobody was reacting, except for the wildly crying and running students, and wondered how those people had actually survived an all-out war. Then again, he already knew that warring in Western Magical World and in the Eastern Wizarding Community was a different Art altogether.

He stepped forward calmly as the black-clad attackers turned to him, noticing him as he was the only one not gesturing wildly and going towards them instead of the other way around, his wand in his hand. The fleeing kids parted naturally before him, and even stopped trying to escape as he came to a stop in front of the one -most likely, a man, judging from his lack of a chest- who seemed to act as leader.

"My my my, what do we have here? A multicolored freak... Never seen such a hideous mix before. I bet you went into the Muggle world to get this horrible job done, Mudblood!"

Ichigo raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Well, you certainly do know long words. I am surprised." He drawled mockingly. "For your information, I am quite sure my blood is far purer than yours will ever be, and the color is all natural. Thankfully, I did not end up as pathetically average as you, which did not lead me to terrorizing _children_ to feel some semblance of importance."

He could feel the other man's magic spike in anger as his whole body tensed at the insult.

"How _dare_ you talk to me like that? Know your betters, Mudblood!"

The hybrid let his lips curl up in a condescending smirk.

"How terrible. Obviously, I overestimated your intelligence. My family has had wizards only for more than two thousand years. I am quite certain my betters, as you say, certainly are not you."

Brown eyes widened beneath the mask.

"Two thousand... Who are you? There are only three families with such pure blood, and you certainly..."

"I can assure you I am. My name is Shihouin Azrael, Death Eater, and you would make good not to forget the respect we are owed." He took a step forward, his eyes steely and his body ready to act at a second's notice, ignoring the gaps that had erupted from the crowd as he said his name.

The man lowered his wand, as did his followers.

"Pardon me, Lord Shihouin." He simpered in a slightly shaking voice, evidently awed by the name of the man in front of him. "We target Mudbloods. They are sullying our world, and your help would be greatly appreciated in our endeavor. Surely you see the nuisance they are, and how they endanger Magic..."

The condescending smirk turned into a sardonic smile.

"Why of course. I can completely understand that killing new blood preventing Pure-Bloods from interbreeding until they only give birth to deformed monsters and Squibs, would be beneficial for our society." He answered.

Pausing for a minute to let his words sink in, he watched them like a hawk as he started speaking again.

"You will have to excuse me, but killing children is not my cup of tea. You will have to find another Pure-Blood champion, I am afraid."

It took the man the whole of two minutes to understand that he had just been rejected shamefully, and when it finally clicked that the strange man standing a few feet away from him hadn't been joking, but instead mocking him, he rose his wand and attacked. A nice _Avada Kedavra_ for a start. To see if the Japanese Pure-Blood was really up to his name.

o-O-o

Ichigo deflected the Death Curse effortlessly, and threw himself into battle almost absentmindedly, dueling the leader until the man lay bound and stunned at his feet, before changing opponents and making his way through the crowd, casting spells here and there and bringing down the attackers without breaking a sweat. He could see the members of the Order of the Phoenix, a few teachers and the older students, those who had fought the war against Lord Voldemort, dueling fiercely, and couldn't help but roll his eyes at their weakness, even though they thought they were actually great fighters and warriors with _tons_ of experience. All of that, according to him, was bullshit, except maybe for Severus, who had taken fighting courses during his trip to Japan, yet had still a lot to learn, even though he was by far the best warrior out there anyway.

There was also a heavily scarred man with a wooden leg he had seen before and Dumbledore who weren't too bad at this, but seriously... to think those people were the crème of what few fighters England had to offer! And all that Light Magic! It was enough to make him want to shoot himself.

Most likely thrown off balance by the Pure-Blood's sudden expression of annoyance, the black-clad woman he was dueling faltered for a second, but it was enough for him to stun and bind her.

Salazar help him, he was starting to get fed up with all those harmless curses. Seriously, he was almost tempted to change sides -not that he was involved in this war- just to get the opportunity to cast some Dark Magic, even though their spells weren't even that dark. Those guys had obviously never tasted the marvels of the Black Arts, Demonic Magic and Rituals and Runes. And they called themselves dark...

Ichigo sighed in the process of binding a stunned wizard. _Incarcerous, Stupefy, Bombarda, Expelliarmus, Stupefy, Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy_... Who would use such spells when the other side kept shooting potentially lethal curses with a high rate of damage? There was no way those people would hold their own on an Eastern battlefield for more than three and a half seconds.

This Light Magic orgy was giving him a headache.

Twenty minutes after the attack had been launched, it was over, and the prisoners had been gathered in front of Madam Rosmerta's bar, Aurors and Order members guarding them, while most of the teachers gathered the students and made sure they were okay. The school nurse was already there, bustling around the few injured, and kept grumbling under her breath about "reckless kids who try to prove they're strong when they should enjoy childhood".

Ichigo, however, wasn't amused. This mess had allowed the Frying Chickens to see that he was a good fighter, and definitely opposed the Death Munchers, meaning that having finally gotten confirmation of his 'allegiances', they would most likely ask -demand he join sooner rather than later. And _that_, he didn't look forward to.

Standing next to the pub, he looked up when someone cleared their throat.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted... to thank you, sir. For saving me."

He gazed absently at the Ravenclaw, a third or fourth year, most likely, but nodded, despite having no clue of when or how he had saved her.

"No need, Miss Blurance. Children should never die before having had time to live."

She gave him a small smile before heading off to her friends, and the young man turned his attention elsewhere, noticing the Seventh Years standing a few feet away. Potter looked fine, as did his friends and the rest of the older students, and he nodded to himself. This was good. He let his gaze sweep over the battlefield, and noticed that the Order members were glancing at him in what they thought was a discreet manner, but someone as trained and perceptive as he was would easily notice.

He inwardly heaved a weary sigh and straightened up from his position against the wall, automatically brushing the wrinkles and dust out of his crimson robes, before he turned on his heels and headed back to the school gates, where he found the students. They were gathered by year, and he looked at the fifth years, trying to see his sisters.

"_Ichi-nii! Over here!_"

He barely refrained from sighing in relief, and shot his gentle sibling a soft smile which, unbeknownst to him, had several people around gaping at the sight. Stalking forward, he stopped short right before her, towering over her petite form.

"_Are you okay? No injuries?_"

She laughed reassuringly, amused for some reason.

"_I'm fine, Ichi-nii, don't worry! I was at _The Three Broomsticks_ when the attack started, and you got rid of them so quickly they never got the chance to cause damage to the pub._"

He nodded and ruffled her hair, even as her twin planted herself in front of him, fists on her hips.

"_What the hell was that?_" She growled, gray eyes narrowed in anger.

He rose an eyebrow, completely unfazed.

"_Language, Karin._"

"_Fuck language! _What_ was that?_"

Sighing, and glad that nobody could understand the conversation, he tried to get her to calm down.

"_What was what?_"

She glowered at him.

"_The fight. Couldn't hold back your hero instincts?_"

He ran a hand through his hair. Again. This was becoming a tick, he would have to keep an eye on himself, he couldn't display human mannerisms like that in public, or the Shihouin Clan and Byakuya would have his head.

"_Karin..._"

He trailed off, and she glared at him defiantly, challenging him to say something which would appease her.

"_I'm listening._"

Exasperated, he let his arm fall by his side.

"_Listen, Karin, this country is still in the aftermath of a war, even though it has nothing to do with... back home. But had I not intervened, there would have been lots of injured, and maybe even some killed. You read the papers, you know what they do. There would have been a carnage..._"

"_And so what? It's their war, let them fight it! You know perfectly well they'll try to recruit you now!Why must you _always_ get involved in things that don't concern you?_"

His eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked down at the not-so-little-anymore girl. Standing by her side, Yuzu said nothing, but he could feel her agreeing with what her sister said.

"_Listen, girls. I do not have a choice here. There are interests at play that can simply not be ignored. I do not regret interfering. Were it to happen once more, I would do it again, __without a second thought. I am sorry, girls, truly sorry, but I can not ignore such matters._" He paused at the sight of Yuzu's eyes watering, and Karin's shining too much to be natural, while her reiatsu spiked, before adding firmly. "_At least you won't be involved here._"

They looked at him for a few seconds.

"You're such an egoist!" Karin spat in English before turning away from him and stalking back to her friends. Ichigo sighed out loud, this time, glanced at his blonde sister, and, seeing her follow her twin while avoiding his eyes, knew she felt the same, though it appeared as sadness rather than anger with her. Ignoring the gaping students, their curious stares and whispers, and general indelicacy, he went back to the castle and locked himself in his room with a bottle of sake.

He really needed something strong right now.

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><p><strong>So? What did you think?<br>Next time: The Order of the Phoenix steps in.  
><strong>


	12. Negotiations

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everyone! Tango Dancer here! Yeah, yeah, I know, it's been a long time since my last update, but honestly! When did time decide to go by so fast? Anyway, here's chapter 12! Thank you all for your reviews, I'm afraid I didn't answer anyone this time, but my internet access crashed, and when I tried to update yesterday, my computer just wouldn't have any of it! And so, well... I skipped school today and here I am, updating. Yeah, I'm a dunce. <strong>

**Anyway, back to the story... Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 12:<span>

On the next morning, he emerged from his drunken haze with a groan and a pounding headache. He rose from his bed which he had somehow managed to drag himself to after drinking himself to a stupor, and stumbled into the bathroom to get a shower and rid himself of the clinging smell of the alcohol, which at least Severus and his father were sure to recognize for what it was. And seeing as Isshin knew perfectly well that he only drank on certain occasions, he wasn't about to let him have a clue that something had gone horribly wrong the day before. He wouldn't be able to do a thing anyway.

He groaned as he turned the water on cold, and let the drops glide down his body before he wandlessly summoned a hangover potion and down it in the shower. Feeling far better, he cleaned himself meticulously, and then stepped out of the tub to dry himself, before pulling on his usual clothes, never forgetting the dagger earrings, arm protections and black choker. One line of köhl later, he was ready, and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, where he was welcomed by an immediate increase of the chatter and pointing. And here he thought they had finally gotten used to him...

He stalked to the Head Table and sat down, instead of his usual seat, in the empty space right next to his father, who shot him a confused look, which immediately turned into understanding when he saw his face. The man didn't say anything and merely passed him the food, serving him pumpkin juice at the same time. Nodding in thanks, the young man started eating, slowly, knowing that the older Shinigami would wait for him to be better to ask. They ate in silence, and Ichigo studiously avoided looking at the Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables. He had come to a resolution.

It had taken him most of the previous night and lots of sake, but he had chosen.

His sisters, obviously, weren't pleased with him -weren't _happy_ with him. As a brother, and as a protector. So he would do something very simple: he would just get out of their life. They wouldn't have to worry constantly about him, wouldn't have to care about whatever he got involved in, would finally forget him, and all would be for the better, as his enemies therefore would only have him to direct the brunt of their hate onto. The plan was starting today, and despite the pain it caused him, he would just let Karin and Yuzu lead a normal life amongst wizards, their kin, with the people they would chose as friends and lovers, start and raise a family, be at peace in a warless world.

He was a being of war, a fighter at heart, and wherever he went, trouble would keep following him, he knew that, and couldn't keep imposing that on his sisters. While Karin had a fiery temper, it was more on an 'argument-scale', while Yuzu was a sweet, gentle girl, and though a capable fighter, she would never flourish in battle and strife like he did. This life wasn't what the twins needed, and he was prepared to letting them if it meant that they would be happier with Zabini and Nott than with him. They were fifteen already, they weren't the defenseless wide-eyed kids he had practically raised, they didn't need him anymore. And even though it pained him to admit it, he wasn't about to compromise their happiness and endanger them because he would rather have them with him.

In the British Wizarding World, the coming of age was at seventeen, and the both of them knew perfectly well how to take care of themselves, especially with their training and growing up with a brother who kept getting into fights, and a father who could barely tend to himself, screaming to the poster of his dead wife every five minutes and generally antagonizing his eldest for the heck of it, despite Ichigo having understood long ago that it was his way of keeping him on his toes at all times and training him for the day he came into his Shinigami powers.

"_What did she say?_"

He looked up, startled from his musings, though he never showed it on his face. Isshin's eyes were serious as he gazed at him. Ichigo shrugged.

"_Don't worry about it. I took the appropriate decision to solve the problem._"

The former Shinigami captain sighed mournfully, knowing, after all this time, that he wouldn't get anything out of the hybrid.

"_Just don't push everyone out of your life, son._"

Like he had a choice, he thought bitterly to himself. It wasn't like he hadn't tried to keep watching over his sisters and being there for them, but they just wouldn't open up to him anymore. They were unsafe when he didn't fight, and unhappy when he did.

Standing, he nodded to his father and started to make his way out, watching Dumbledore as the old coot walked towards him from the corner of his eye. So predictable.

"Ichigo, my boy!"

Inwardly groaning, he turned around with a polite yet neutral face.

"Headmaster. What can I do for you?"

"I would like to invite you to a reunion of the utmost importance."

He couldn't help it: his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Couldn't the man be more vague?

"About...?"

"The current events. We would be most pleased if you could attend."

Taking his time so that the headmaster wouldn't get suspicious, he started to turn around.

"What time? And where?" He asked, slowly, as if hesitating.

"Right now in fact, my boy. In my office."

Shiro snickered. Of course, it would be in his office. If he was discovered as a Death Eater or a sympathizer, he would never be able to escape, and anyway, before he was a full-fledged member, they would never reveal their headquarters to him. It seemed he had to admit he _might_ have underestimated their intelligence. A little bit.

"Very well."

They walked out of the Hall together, and the Shinigami captain was perfectly aware of the teachers standing and leaving the table to follow them from a distance. He inwardly rolled his eyes. How discreet. Really, he was happy Japan had Ninjas, otherwise, they would all have died several times over. Lack of information was equally -if not more lethal then an all out fight.

"Freezing Whizbees."

And what was with those ridiculous passwords anyway?

Shaking his head slightly, he followed the old man up the spiraling stairs, and they quickly entered the headmaster's office, only to discover it was already full. The young man inwardly rolled his eyes. Figures.

"Please take a seat, my boy."

He swore, next time the sugar-high old fart called him that, he was going to strangle him with his bare hands. The headmaster sat at his massive desk while Ichigo lowered himself gracefully in a comfortable armchair, not far enough from the others that it would look like an interrogation, but not close enough that they would look like they were part of the same group either.

"This is Kurosaki Ichigo, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor since September. Ichigo, those people are the members of the Order of the Phoenix, a group created to fight against Lord Voldemort, and dark wizards in general as they try to wreak havoc in our society."

Shiro chortled in the back of his mind, laughing hysterically, and Ichigo himself couldn't help an amused, and slightly condescending smile, cold eyes showing everything he thought of the Organization. Ronald Weasley, he immediately noticed, turned a nice shade of purple, and his smile turned into a smirk as he shot him a feral grin, daring the boy to antagonize him. When Granger elbowed him in the guts, he turned his attention back to the old man.

"And...?"

"We saw you fight yesterday. Clearly, you are not a sympathizer of theirs, and so we would like you to join us."

A pause.

"Why?"

"We need good elements like you, my boy. You are a powerful, qualified wizard, and a proficient dueler. What's more, from what I understood yesterday, you come from a very old Pure-Blood family who..."

"Yeah, about that," the gruffy man missing a chunk of his nose and his leg interrupted, "mind telling us why you introduced yourself as Ichigo Kurosaki when it's really Azrael Shihouin?"

Cold mismatched eyes met beady and electric blue without flinching.

"And you are?"

"Alastor Moody. Auror."

"Ex-Auror, you mean, Mad-Eye!" A younger woman with purple hair and yellow eyes said cheerfully.

Ichigo recognized her as a Metamorphomagus, and rose an eyebrow at the strange color association. She was sitting next to a brown-haired man with golden eyes he immediately acknowledged as a werewolf. My, wasn't this interesting.

"The Shihouin Clan is very well-known amongst the Magical and Muggle world, and I didn't wish to attract too much attention for one." He explained coldly. "I also happen to have lived hidden since my birth and up to my fifteenth birthday for reasons I will not divulge, meaning that my name until then was Kurosaki Ichigo. Happy?"

The man eyed him distrustfully, artificial eye rolling around in an absolutely sickening manner.

"Is it true that you have been the Dueling World Champion for the past decade or so?"

"Yes it is."

**'Oh, freakin' 'ell, _Aibou_, do somethin', I'm bored ta death 'ere!' **

'_Shut up. It's not like I can do anything about it!_'

**'C'm'on!'** The Hollow whined. **'Ya can't leave me like this! Jus' tell 'em ya're a Dark Wizard already!'**

"Tell me, what do you think of Lord Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked over his half-moon glasses, looking very captivated by the incoming answer, chin laid on interwoven fingers and blue eyes twinkling softly at him. Ichigo snickered inwardly at the general flinch at the name.

"Lord Voldemort?" He hummed, bidding his time as he tapped his foot in the air nonchalantly. "A genius. Raised in an orphanage, yet top of his class everywhere, maker of three Horcruxes at the age of seventeen -an impressive feat, considering the magical strength and sheer willpower needed to create one... A Dark Wizard like there are only in countries far away and the depths of history... Great dueler, if what I saw from his fights was anything to go by... Too bad he did not foresee that this number of Horcruxes would require an anchor to keep his sanity intact. His descent into madness and death were a terrible waste of talent and power, really."

Silence. Heavy, deathly silence. Ichigo laughed inwardly. But his fun was cut short when Dumbledore quickly regained his bearings.

"Yes, you are right of course, however, you misunderstood my question." Oh, he certainly hadn't. "What I wanted to know is how you position yourself regarding his ideals?"

Ichigo gave an annoyed jerk of his head, and allowed a hint of exasperation to tint his answer.

"I believe I was quite clear yesterday in Hogsmeade."

Another silence. This was getting old, the hybrid thought, suddenly overcome by a wave of weariness. Why had they called him again? Ah, yes, they wanted him to join Frying Chickens United. Except he had never really liked the stupid birds, and wasn't about to chase 'Dark Wizards' just for the heck of it, especially seeing as he was one himself. Those people were so close-minded, it was alarming. And now, they were all staring at him, evaluating him, and he absolutely hated it.

"Was that all?" He asked, feeling his patience wearing thin.

Granted, he could usually stand that for hours on end, but right now, he accumulated Wizarding, Spiritual and Familial problems, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with them and their stupid defiance. If they didn't want him, it was their loss, and he wasn't about to beg them to admit him in their stupid Organization. Now if they would just leave him be...

"No, we would still like you to join."

He gazed impassively at Dumbledore.

"To chase your 'Dark Wizards'?" The mocking emphasis was obvious.

"Yes. Please, Professor. We cannot be everywhere at once, and we really need your help." Potter spoke up.

The Defense teacher looked at him. He met his gaze head on, green eyes determined, jaw stubbornly set.

"You do know that I have another war on my hands right now? I have other things to do than chase pathetically weak Dark Lord wannabes." He pointed out coldly.

Weasley -Ronald shrugged.

"If they let you leave, then they obviously don't need you. And with your skill, it'd be normal to just help us."

Power pulsed briefly in the room as the teacher's eyes darkened and swirled in anger. He stood, towering over the red-head.

"You have no idea what it cost them to let me go, Mr Weasley. I can assure you my people need me, desperately so. And I would be grateful if you would, once and for all, stop insulting me and my brethren and shut your big mouth before you say something which _really_ angers me. We Japanese wash offenses to our honor in blood."

He sat back down, ignoring the deadly pale boy.

"As for it being 'normal' for me to help you, I beg to differ. Getting involved will only endanger my family, which is the exact reason I left Japan, and gain me nothing, except for new wounds where I was supposed to get some rest before going back to war. Why would I take part in a small guerrilla like yours, when, with the correct organization, you could handle the matter by yourselves?"

"With your help, we would have complete peace very quickly. And we could provide some reinforcements for the war in your country." Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his warm voice.

Ichigo leant back in his seat, glancing briefly at Lucius, whom he knew held a high position within the Ministry.

"Of course. Knowing that our war is documented nowhere, the Minister will evidently send legions of reinforcements." He mocked. "Especially as I have seen what the man was capable of. Denying Lord Voldemort's return for, what, twelve months on end? Ignoring attacks and disappearances? An unregistered Dementor attack? What is more, whatever would we do with your fighters? You have no idea of the violence we face when in battle." He leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.

"All Eastern countries are very well-versed in Dark Magic. But Japan is the best in all those areas. We breed the best warriors you could ever find. Black Magic, Blood Magic, Runic Magic, Rituals, Element-Wielding, Hand-to-hand combat, Sword and Dagger, Bow, Guns, Rifles, Explosives, they combine Muggle technology and Magic, and can cause billions of dollars worth of damage with a single twitch of their finger. The Ninjas are the crème of informers and assassins. If they want to kill you, they do so, and you will never even have the time to question what is happening to you that you will already be dead and buried. I would be quite surprised if your Ministry had not ever hired them."

"The Shihouin Clan..." Granger started.

"The Shihouin Clan is neutral, and has kept away from Magical conflicts for quite some time now, and it is not about to change anytime soon."

"You are involved, though." McGonagall pointed out.

"Yes I am. And so what? I am but an individual. My position in the Shihouin Clan does not give me the right to lead them into a war not their own. Japanese wizards are mercenaries first and foremost, despite their ultimate loyalty to their Family and Clan." He paused. "Back to the matter at hand. We could never use your 'reinforcements'. They would be slaughtered in three minutes total."

The British wizards looked indignant, but he didn't back off.

"It is the truth." He concluded.

But the mutilated ex-Auror and his fellow Chickens just looked at him defiantly, daring him to prove it.

"Perhaps you could show us, my boy, so that we could estimate this threat..." Dumbledore said.

Ichigo gave a short laugh, almost like a bark.

"Are you kidding me? I am no idiot, Dumbledore. I am not about to show you anything classified, especially since you only seek my help in your war. I do not owe you anything. You need me far more than I need you."

A pause.

"Are your enemies a danger to Britain and Europe?" Arthur Weasley questioned.

He shrugged.

"Who knows? There is a long way from Japan to Europe, but that man is extremely ambitious. However, I am not asking for help here, _you_ are."

He paused. "I will join you. If anything, it will give me better access to information regarding attacks in Europe. It will be quicker a way to determine whether he is active here." He lied.

They looked startled for a few seconds, but took his sudden decision in stride.

"Very well, then we..."

"I want to be included in any and all meetings, and know absolutely everything going on. If you exclude me, I leave. Am I clear?"

Some of them looked ready to protest and had already opened their mouths, like Weasley and the black-haired, blue-eyed man he reckoned was Potter's godfather, Sirius Black, but they were quickly shut up by the appropriate person. In other words, Granger and the werewolf.

"Very clear." Dumbledore said slowly, almost wearily. "We aren't your enemies, though, my boy, there is no need for such... mistrust."

Ichigo barely refrained from snorting as he snapped his fingers, and a house elf appeared.

"What can Pimply do for Sir Professor Sir?"

"A bottle of fine Brandy would be most appreciated. With a glass, of course."

The creature nodded and popped away, while the members of the Order stared at the young man.

"Well," he said as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs at the knee, "since we are most likely to be here for quite some time, I figured I would rather be comfortable."

Pimply came back with the required objects, and put them on a nearby table, at arm's reach, before disappearing again. Standing, Ichigo helped himself with a glass of Brandy before sitting back down and nursing it gently, swirling the amber liquid in the crystal glass.

"So. For starters, I want detailed reports on the attacks, starting by the beginning of the year. Photos, if you can. If you have those guys' magical signature in samples, it would help a lot."

"How so?" Asked Molly Weasley curiously.

"To try and track them down."

"I'm pretty sure our men and the Unspeakables have tried that already." Hestia Jones snapped.

"And I am sure they are extremely competent, but believe me when I say I have better methods. What is more, you are never certain something has been done correctly when you are not the one to have done it."

It was irrefutable, and they didn't try to deny it.

"Also, if autopsies were performed on the corpses, I want the reports. Even Muggle."

"And you will understand them?" Tonks asked.

"My father is a doctor, and a friend of mine's owns a hospital. It helps."

He didn't say that he had a degree in pediatrics and general medicine, or that he had graduated at the top of his class, one year ahead of his classmates. They didn't need to know that, and Ishida would have his head if he didn't name him, which would end up in another endless spar. Not that he would know anyway, as Shiro commented sarcastically.

"And how will that help? We already know who committed the murders and raids." Sirius Black objected, still looking wary of him.

"It will show me whether Eastern Warlocks are involved or not, and if they are, what clan and category."

"Clan and category?"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Technicalities."

They looked at him, but said nothing until Dumbledore sighed slightly and opened a drawer of his desk, before handing a pile of folders to his newest ally. Said man rose an eyebrow, but took the papers anyway, and dumped them in his lap, where he proceeded to leaf through them quickly. They had been put in alphabetical order, the Magical records on top of the Muggle ones, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Very well. Anything else?"

"Your sisters. Your being a member of the Order might endanger them."

Ichigo frowned at the Weasley. He was quite tall, with a fang earring dangling from his left ear which, if the looks she sent it were anything to go by, his mother wanted nothing more than to crush and banish.

"My sisters know how to take care of themselves. As some of you know, they are in the Advanced group of the dueling club. And if Hogwarts truly is the safest place in Europe, then I am sure they are not at risk."

"They will stay here for the holidays, then?" Unsurprisingly enough, the one to ask had been Theodore Nott.

"Indeed, unless my father finds an appropriate location for the three of them."

"You do not plan to go with them?"

He pursed his lips and took a sip of Brandy, before carefully putting the empty glass back on the table.

"I do not know as of yet. Things happened, events might come up, it also depends on the attacks here and the status of the war back in Japan."

**'Wow _Aibou_, ya really mastered the art of bein' vague, bravo!'** Shiro clapped mockingly, and Ichigo could feel Zangetsu whacking him on the head. He scowled.

"Does it have something to do with your fight with your sisters yesterday?" The werewolf asked softly.

To his credit, he didn't even flinch when Ichigo leveled a cold gaze at him. He just returned the look calmly, and the young man couldn't help but feel somewhat mollified by the obvious gentleness of the man, which belied his dangerous nature. The tone he had used to ask the question proved that he didn't mean to be prying or offending, and for that the hybrid didn't lash out at him.

"I reckon Severus invented the Wolfsbane Potion for you? You shouldn't take it. Trust me and just fuse with the beast-spirit. It will be much easier." He eluded the question calmly but without any hostility, ignoring the general stiffening when he showed he knew of his condition.

The man paled.

"How -how did you...?"

He shrugged.

"Come on. Golden eyes? Nobody but Weres have them. Anyway, you should follow my advice and merge with it."

"What, so he can become a crazy monster?" Black barked aggressively.

Ichigo barely held back a sneer. The wizard was getting on his nerves.

"If you had bothered to open a book -a decent book, that is- once in your life, Mr Black, such as the ones your family library undoubtedly holds, you would have learned that a Were who fully accepts his other part gets their enhanced senses, power and the ability to morph at will while still keeping their full capacity of reasoning. In other words, they keep control and are subjected to no 'monstrous instincts', as you so elegantly put it." He said condescendingly.

"You're lying! We saw him all those years ago, he wasn't...!"

"Cut the nonsense, Mr Black. I know what I am talking about. You, however, obviously do not. I know several Weres. Contrarily to this prejudiced and narrow-minded country, _we_ recognize them for what they are. Great warriors, dangerous fighters, opponents worthy of respect, loyal friends, great leaders. They have a vision of the world we do not, an ability we could only imitate with our own shape-shifting. Weres who fuse with their inner spirit become the ultimate beast entity. They are no monsters. They are the Lycans."

Silence reigned as he finally stopped talking, and he noticed that the man was teary-eyed. Minutes ticked by.

**'Wow, tha' was one 'ell of a passionate speech, _Aibou_, congrats'! They're all ready ta cry!' **Shiro commented.

Ichigo didn't have time to answer, though, as Remus had already started talking again.

"Is that -is that true? Are Weres really like that in Japan?"

Mismatched eyes gazed at him calculatingly, before he seemed to come to a decision.

"Do you want to be like them?"

"I -why do you ask?"

"Answer my question."

It was like the rest of the Order had faded into the background by now, and there only remained the two of them as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Yes."

Several people chocked on their breath at the quiet murmur, but they didn't pay them any attention, and neither did they glance at the sputtering Sirius Black.

"Don't listen to him, Moony, you don't know who he is and whether or not he isn't a Dark Wizard!"

A sly smile floated over the werewolf's lips as he looked at the younger man, and suddenly, Ichigo realized that there was at least one person here that he hadn't fooled. Yes, the older wizard might have refused his other half, but he was still a dark creature, particularly attuned to Dark Magic, and of course, he _knew_. The two men shared a conniving glance, but didn't comment. A dark smirk shadowed Ichigo's lips for the briefest second before disappearing again. In their corner, Lucius and Severus rose an eyebrow at the exchange, but said nothing.

"I will require a Wizard's Oath, but after that, I can send you to a friend. I reckon he will be glad to train a newbie."

"In Japan?"

"Yes."

"But the war..."

"That is why the Oath will be required. You will be included in a very intricate pattern of wards to protect you from the outer world so that your safety is guaranteed at all times."

Lupin's eyes darkened at the idea of being caged.

"They live in a reservation?"

"No. They chose to settle within the borders of the protected domain of their own free will, and are free to leave whenever they want to."

Realization dawned on the werewolf.

"You don't mean..."

"Yes I do, Mr Lupin. The packs live on my land."

Remus sat back, stunned.

"Merlin! How is this possible? A pack... wait, did you say the _packs_? Plural? How many of them are there?"

Ichigo smirked.

"As of matter of fact, Mr Lupin, there are a dozen packs living within the borders as of today: Wereleopards, Werewolves, Werefoxes, Werecats, Werepanthers, Werelynxes, Werecheetahs, Werelions, Wererats, Weredogs and Weretigers."

"And they all get on?"

The hybrid shrugged.

"They know that they are assigned a certain territory, and that any fighting will be punished by expulsion. I offer them a safe haven, it certainly is not for them to start an inner war."

"But the property must be... huge!"

"The Shihouin are rich, Mr Lupin. We are involved in both the muggle and the magical worlds, and deal with all kinds of individuals. We know how to do business, and we do it well. We have the means to protect what we chose to, and destroy what we feel could become a threat to our interests."

Silence. Then:

"I -see. When -when can I go?"

"Now if you want." Ichigo said, very seriously.

The werewolf glanced around quickly, seemingly hesitating, before he nodded and stood up. He unsheathed his wand and gave the required Oath, before looking at Ichigo expectantly. But the young man was writing a letter, the conjured quill scratching quickly over the parchment, which he sealed once he was done. He handed it over to Remus.

"You will give that to the Alpha, Aljer Kulmierko. He is from Russia, and speaks English, though I guess he'll just cast a translator spell on you upon your arrival. The letter is also a portkey, it will activate when I say the password and take you directly into werewolf territory." He looked the man in the eye. "Are you ready?"

A nod.

"Very well. 3... 2... 1... Pineapple."

Eyebrows rose at the unusual password, but then, Lupin was gone, and Black started shouting.

"Where did you take him? What did you do, you Death Eater!"

The hybrid let out an aggravated sigh.

"I am getting tired of your obvious stupidity, Mr Black. We gave the answers to both your questions a few minutes ago, and I will not bother repeating myself. If you lack the brains to understand the first time we said it, then I fail to see how saying it a second time would make a difference."

Severus snorted while Lucius smirked, Dumbledore vaguely chuckled, but the Gryffindors reddened in anger. Ron started to open his big mouth again, seconded by Sirius, while Ichigo just sipped his drink quietly, an amused smile on his lips, his eyes an obvious proof that he wasn't listening.

"...Dark Wizard scum!"

The smile slipped off his face, and the young teacher set his glass down on the table with a sharp sound. Climbing to his feet, he towered over them wordlessly, eyes burning with such obvious contempt that they felt themselves bristle and shake at the same time. He stared at them for a few seconds on end, not saying anything, and as the tenseness increased and the atmosphere grew heavy with something disturbingly akin to fear, he finally let the two big-mouthed Gryffindors away from his gaze, and turned to Dumbledore, his eyes cold as ice and voice cutting.

"If you will excuse me, Headmaster, I am afraid my presence is required elsewhere. I wish you good luck with the narrow-minded idiots under your wing."

The old man chuckled weakly at the pun, while the others just looked on. But before Sirius and Ron even got the chance to open their mouth and start ranting again, the DADA Professor was out the door and they were staring at an empty chair.

* * *

><p><strong>Hehe, so someone has finally caught on to Ichigo's true nature... I like Remus! And we get some hints as to what Ichigo's life in Japan is like. <strong>

**And yes, poor Ichigo's so desperate he actually drowned his problems in alcohol... I'm such a sadist, mwahahahahaha!  
><strong>

**Next: A long-awaited lesson: Ichigo takes matters in his own hands!**

**Plot bunnies feed off reviews!**


	13. Rivalries, Thoughts and Emergencies

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Goodness, I don't know what's up with ff . net tonight, but it's the third story I'm updating, and it's been bugging non-stop! I just want to shout at it and bang my head against the wall, but I guess my parents and sibling would look at me weirdly if I did^^! <strong>

**Anyway, here's chapter 13, I hope you'll enjoy it!** **It's dedicated to MIX400, with whom I had a very nice PM conversation all throughout this week! It was really nice finding your mails after a long day of class, thank you! **

** Also, thank you to all of you who reviewed last chapter, I love you all! Please, do it again^^!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 13:<span>

An owl soared through the air and landed right before the young DADA teacher, who stroked his head with the back of his forefinger gently before taking the letters the bird had attached to its leg. Glancing at the addresses, he set one by his plate, and opened the other, reading it attentively, before nodding in satisfaction.

"Mr Lupin is well and has settled with the pack." He informed Dumbledore. "He is currently recuperating from jet-lag, but should start his training in a few days, right before the next full moon. Here is a letter he wrote to Mr Black."

He handed said letter over to the old man, thrust Aljer's letter into his pocket and finished his breakfast, before heading off to his classroom. The second part of the kill-the-stupid-rivalry plan would start today, and he would enjoy it immensely.

And that is how, when his seventh year class settled down that day, most of the students could feel a dark sense of foreboding at the ominous light lurking in the mismatched pupils of their DADA Professor.

"Today, we are going to start with the practical lessons. We have covered most of what you already knew, so it is time to start studying new subjects. Exciting subjects." He emphasized the adjective, and they found their apprehension skyrocketing. "In order to do so, you will be paired up, and _I_ will be the one to decide who your partner is to be. You will have to sit by that person for the rest of the year, and work with them on assignments and exercises, as well as during Friday evening detentions."

He stood up from his casual perch on the corner of his desk, ignoring the groans of dismay from his students, and held up the parchment on which he had written down the new class arrangements.

"All of you stand up and wait at the back of the classroom for me to call your name. Quickly!" He barked the last bit as some -mostly Gryffindors, though, since the Slytherins deemed dragging themselves unbecoming of their status, slouched and were far too slow to his liking. Once everyone was standing where he wanted them, watching them with apprehension, he smirked inwardly, his mirth only fueled by Shiro's mad cackling at the back of his mind, and started calling.

"First row, left: Longbottom and Parkinson. First row, middle: Potter and Malfoy. First row, right: Crabbe and Finnigan. Second row, left: Brown and Bulstrode. Second row, middle: Boot and Smith. Second row, right: Thomas and Pucey. Third row, left: Weasley and Goyle. Third row, middle: MacMillan and Patil. Third row, right: Corner and Abbott. Fourth row, left:-"

He ended up with Granger and Greengrass, and looked up with a barely restrained smirk, looking at the lovely mix of colors which the classroom had become.

"Now, that is what I call a colorful classroom! This is far better than it used to be." He superbly ignored the heated glaring he was subjected to by most everyone except from the handful of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who had chosen DADA for seventh year, and let his smirk take over his face, in a cheeky show of evil satisfaction.

"Well, now that this is done and over with, I wish to warn you now, and you had better listen carefully, because I will not repeat myself, and the punishment will be the same whether you were aware of what I am going to say or not." He paused, looking at them seriously. "I _will not_ tolerate, as I said before, insults, segregation, and such pointless fighting. You are seventeen, adults in the eyes of the law, and consequently expected to be responsible and mature. Fighting and calling each other names all because of the house you are in and the prejudices about it, most of which were drilled into your head by your parents, is utterly childish, immature and pathetic.

"Think of it this way: one, by doing so, you are following in your parents' footsteps. And your parents' actions led them to war. Is that what you want? Another war? And are you not supposed to be your own person, someone who is trying to build their life and become independent and strong on their own? By acting like them because of what they told you, you are just copying your parents and following them like lost puppies.

"Two: your parents are human. And one of the characteristics of the human race is that we make mistakes. In other words, your parents could have made a mistake. And you cannot put everyone in the same bag just because once, they used to know a Slytherin, or a Gryffindor that was turned Death Eater, or made a habit of bullying year-mates. _All __Slytherins are not Dark Wizards, and all Gryffindors are not reckless and foolishly brave!_

Three: when I was first told of this rivalry, my first reaction was to scoff and tell your Potions Master that I thought it was stupid. And it is. You judge a person only by the colors they wear, without even trying to get to know them first, and see beneath the appearances. You were all sorted when you were eleven, but surely you have changed since. In fact, I would be pretty surprised had you not, and if you still retained the mindset of a prepubescent eleven-year old child."

He paused and gazed over his students. All were listening to him, seemingly enraptured, as they stared intently at him.

"I am not pairing you up like this to annoy you. I am trying to get you to understand something vital. What you do not realize is that, by excluding Slytherins and calling them Dark Wizards when they are nothing of the sort, you only push them in the direction of evil. Why do you think Lord Voldemort became what he was? Mr Finnigan?"

"He wanted to eradicate Muggleborns and Muggles."

"No, Mr Finnigan. That is were you are all wrong. Lord Voldemort did not become a Dark Lord just for the sake of mass genocide, on the contrary. There are several things you ought to know about him, that I think will greatly help you understand why this war occurred, seeing as you seem to be sorely lacking in that domain. I must say that I am extremely disappointed about this fact: as participants in that conflict, I would have thought that you would at least have given its origins some thought. And yet, it is I, a foreigner who was never involved in it, who will have to enlighten you."

A pause to let them mull over what he had just said, then he continued.

"Lord Voldemort was once a boy named Tom Marvolo Riddle. His witch mother, whom her muggle husband had abandoned upon discovering her true nature, died just after giving birth to him in an orphanage. He grew up surrounded by muggles who feared and hated him because of his 'freakish' abilities" he mimed the quote marks "until our current Headmaster, who was at the time Transfiguration teacher, came and fetched him, introducing him to the world of his ancestors, the Gaunts, last heirs to the Slytherin line. You can imagine the delight he felt at the thought that there was a whole new world he was a part of, the discovery that he was not a freak but someone extraordinary, with powers the limit of which no one knew. But once at Hogwarts, he was sorted into Slytherin, and despised because of his blood status and poverty."

He gazed over the class, and noticed that Potter, Weasley and Granger obviously already knew that, but still listened to him attentively, though the Boy-who-Lived was frowning, seemingly perplexed. No doubt because he was wondering where Ichigo had gotten the information.

"What you must understand, is that a Dark Wizard is not necessarily an _evil_ wizard. Lord Voldemort became the Dark Lord because he knew nothing about the Muggles other than what he had learned at the orphanage and about his father, meaning that they are fickle, traitors, weak and greedy thieves who do not deserve to live. Add to that the fact that he was scorned by his fellow Slytherins on accounts of his Muggle blood and poverty -all results of his father's betrayal of his mother, and you get a bitter young man, clever and powerful, a genius, even, determined to prove his greatness to the world, and convinced that Muggles are scum.

"It is all a question of point of views. Had Tom Riddle been adopted and raised by a loving family, he would most likely never have become what he did, or he would have chosen other ways to try and promote his ideals, such as politics, for example.

"What I want you to understand, is that to be a Slytherin does not mean that you are evil. Dark Wizards, maybe. But Dark, I will repeat it and pound it into your skulls if I have to, _does not _mean evil. Magic is all about the intent behind the spell."

Silence. They were all openly staring at him, the Slytherins with calculating and vaguely grateful looks on their faces, though those were skillfully covered under their usual mask of coldness, and the others, with interest, curiosity, perplexity, puzzlement, skepticism, anger, disbelief and a various array of other emotions.

"Excuse-me sir?"

"Yes, Ms Granger?"

"When you say 'magic is all about the intent behind the spell'... what do you mean exactly?"

Ichigo sighed.

"I am pretty sure you have already figured it out, Ms Granger. What I mean is that this classification between Dark and Light magic was mainly done regarding the general intent behind the spells used. In other words, Dark Magic often deals with death, while Light Magic would be closer to healing. However, you cannot deny that levitating a person with _Wingardium Leviosa_ up to the Astronomy tower and then letting them fall to their death would be far more criminal than casting the Killing Curse at a grievously injured warrior to end their suffering. Can you?"

Silence, and then, several students gave a tentative nod of their heads, while the others looked contemplative.

"Very good." He clapped his hands once. "I expect two rolls on parchment for our next lesson on the Hogwarts House rivalry, its origins and consequences, along with the difference between Dark and Light Magic, what it entails, why it is prejudiced. You are dismissed for today."

The students sprang to their feet, not bothering to hide their glares as they were reminded of who their new neighbors were, and exited the classroom hurriedly, to gather with their friends and share their experience and thoughts about the lesson. It was lunch hour already, but Ichigo didn't move.

Instead, he sat back down at his desk, and let his head fall down onto the hard wood. He suddenly felt very, very tired. He had a mountain of paperwork to do for both his division and the Shihouin clan, papers to grade, the reports from the Order of the Phoenix to go over, and furious letters to expect from the infuriated parents who would yell at him for telling their kids Dark Magic wasn't bad. He could already feel the beginning of a headache pounding at the right side of his skull.

Goodness gracious, this was all so fucked up! Between Severus and Lucius he avoided as much as possible, his sisters who wouldn't speak to him, the war and his business with the Death Eater hunt, he was on the verge of giving up and just going mad.

"**I'm 'ere for ya, ya know."**

The voice was soft and gentle, and he let out a moan of satisfaction when gentle fingers carded through his dark locks and started kneading his scalp.

"_I_ _know_." He muttered.

Shiro's hands slid down to his shoulders.

"**Ya're tense as 'ell. Ya should relax, or ya'll never make it through the year..."** Shiro murmured.

He only got a long sigh as an answer.

"_There's just so many things to do, so many problems to solve, so many wars to fight... I don't think I can do it. Our war has been going on for seven years already, and now the wizarding business... I'm tired, Shiro. I want to go to sleep and know that I'm safe and can rest without risking an attempted murder during the night. I want to go out and get smashed without thinking that maybe one of the guys in the bar is an agent of the enemy who will take advantage of my being drunk to kill me, I want to let the girls go and live their life without fearing for their lives every second they're out of my sight._"

Eyebrows furrowed, the other male nodded silently, still massaging his partner's overly knotted muscles. The man didn't deserve such a life. He should have been a healthy twenty-two year old attending college, dating and clubbing every week-end, able to get drunk whenever he wanted, and told by his mother to study instead of smoking. Instead, he was a hardened warrior, fought a harsh war involving inhuman beings, and couldn't even take comfort in the presence of a family. Because where he should have been able to find a shoulder to lean on, there was only twin girls he had to protect, and a man he'd made sure to keep at a distance at all times since his mother's death. Isshin had been one of the most hurt by Masaki's death, and deep within his heart, Ichigo had never forgiven himself for the death of the woman who was everything to the former Shinigami.

But he had been hurt also, and so he had done his best to push everyone away so as not to hurt, and be hurt. An effective defense mechanism, even though at the beginning, it was painful for all parties involved. As the years passed, he had started getting closer to his family again, but then, a few days ago, it had all been thrown back to his face when Karin had called him an egoist.

The hollow inwardly scoffed.

There wasn't a single being out there who could be less selfish than Ichigo. The young man hadn't chosen to join the wizarding battle with a light heart: he had done it because those wizards were a threat to Hogwarts and all British wizards, meaning his sisters as well, as they currently lived in their territory. He had done it because of the Captain-Commander's orders, he had done it because of the war against Aizen, the Hollow sightings in Europe, because now that he had the power to protect what was dear to him, not using it would be akin to giving the terrorists his blessing and allying with them. Not doing anything would make him as guilty of the deaths they caused as if he had been the one casting the spells and causing the damage.

And Kurosaki Ichigo, Shihouin Azrael, Head of the prestigious Shihouin Clan and Captain of the Fifth Division, was first and foremost a man of heart and honor, who would do anything to defend his ideals, even if it cost him his family.

"**C'm'on, _Aibou_, ya need ta eat somethin'."**

o-O-o

The next few days passed quietly. Ichigo taught his classes, the students got used to being paired with someone of the rival House, and even there were still fights breaking out, he had no problems separating the people involved, and soon, they had the lesson drilled into their heads that not cooperating would only get them in detention.

o-O-o

Harry Potter sighed. The new Defense teacher was good, the best one they'd ever had, in fact, though Remus Lupin had been a good teacher too. But the Japanese man's methods were really harsh, almost cruel. Pairing him with Malfoy wasn't something he thought would ever happen, and yet, the man had done it without blinking, clearly stating that he didn't care in the least about the House rivalry.

To be quite honest, Harry couldn't help but agree with him. Several Slytherins had fought alongside the Order of the Phoenix during the war, some against their own parents, and most of the others had been brainwashed or coerced into serving the Dark Lord. He had been one of their most fervent defenders, and had used his fame and the political power his scar gave him to ensure they were given a fair trial, where he didn't hesitate to play advocate, and speak against the prosecution when he found that the people involved truly hadn't wanted to do the deeds.

Draco Malfoy had been amongst those, and after Narcissa had saved his life and he, Harry, had saved Draco's and Severus', he had foolishly hoped, deep within his heart, that maybe the blonde would drop the feud. He was tired of fighting, and the House rivalry and blood prejudices were what had allowed Lord Voldemort to be born in the first place.

The DADA Professor had only said what he thought aloud, with a wiser point of view and a deeper analysis of events he hadn't even been involved in, and though his words had caused quite the stir amongst the school population, Harry knew that the man was right, and the students were slowly coming to see that not every Slytherin was evil. The questions of differentiating evil wizards from Dark Wizards was an altogether different matter, but he was optimistic. Kurosaki seemed to know what he was doing, and obviously had the means to reach his goals.

Glancing at the Defense book open before him, the Boy-Who-Lived sighed.

He wished Malfoy understood that as well. After the war, the blonde had seemed to calm down a little for a while. He had laid low for some time, and stopped shooting insults each and every time he saw a Gryffindor, but the months since then had been enough for him to regain his lost confidence, and two weeks into the new term, he had the arrogance back, even thought there was a noticeable drop in the verbal jibe rate. When he wasn't around Harry, that is.

He seemed to hate the fact that he had been saved by his school rival, and had settled on getting revenge by verbally abusing him twice as much as he used to.

Snape, on the other hand, had taken to leaving him alone in class, and that gave him the freedom and quiet he needed to brew a decent potion, thus resulting in a very welcome increase of his marks.

A shadow fell over him, and he looked up, inwardly groaning. Speak of the devil and he shall appear...

Draco Malfoy was standing by his table, looking at him quizzically, silver eyes narrowed and lips pinched, but otherwise silent in his dislike of Harry, something that the Gryffindor couldn't help but appreciate. Seeing that the blonde was obviously not about to say anything, Harry decided to speak first and get this over with.

"Malfoy." He said neutrally.

"Potter."

A pause.

"What is it?"

The aristocrat wrinkled his nose briefly, and Harry smiled. This was such a human, common expression of puzzlement, that the only thought that came to him was that the other Seventh year just looked positively adorable. He shook his head and focused back on the topic at hand.

"The Defense assignment. Kurosaki paired us together, remember? And we need to hand it over by the end of Christmas Holidays. We'd better start working on it now rather than rush and do something half-assed."

Harry couldn't help it, his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Had the Slytherin Prince actually said something vulgar? Seeing that the other boy was about to say something nasty as he had misinterpreted his half-amused, half-perplexed look, he hurriedly answered.

"Yeah, sure, Malfoy." He quickly gathered the papers strewn over the table, and gestured for Draco to sit across from him. "Here, take a seat. What do you want to do the project on?"

Draco shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, something extraordinary, Malfoys don't do common."

Harry smiled.

"Okay, then... Well, we should find something rarely mentioned in books, then? Maybe foreign creatures or mythology..."

Draco nodded silently, just watching him.

"What about Greek mythology? Or Roman?"

The blonde gave an annoyed jerk of his head.

"No. Muggles study that in first grade. Too common _and_ too Muggle. No way."

Harry chuckled. The blonde was awfully well-informed about the Muggle world, for someone who didn't like non-magical folk.

"I thought you'd say that. Well, do you have any suggestion?" He folded his arms on the table and looked at the silver-eyed boy in front of him. And inwardly smiled. Obviously, Draco had come find him _after_ he had set his mind on a research field, and he was a little embarrassed about confessing that, if the pink tint of his cheeks was anything to go by.

He dug a book out of his bag, and laid it on the table for Harry to see.

"_Japanese Creatures and Mythology: the Magical Fauna of an Old Civilisation._" He read out loud. "Why Japan?"

Draco shrugged.

"Well, my father always used to tell me how fascinating a country it was, and Kurosaki's from there, isn't he? I figured they must have some pretty dangerous creatures over there if they train their Mages that well. I mean, it couldn't be that they just have violent tendencies, rather, they always had to protect themselves from their creatures, and so they had to learn to fight well."

Harry nodded. "Okay, then. Where did you find the book?"

"The family library." He hesitated, then explained. "After he came back from Japan, Father wouldn't stop talking about what he had seen, and how interesting it was there, so I basically grew up to tales of Magical Japan. So -well, yeah."

"Okay. Any creature in particular?"

He had noticed that several pages had been marked with colored straps of paper, and was proven right when Malfoy opened the table of contents and pointed at several underlined titles.

"Several sounded interesting. I tried to chose amongst both mythology and real magical fauna. We could also just chose the way of the Mages as a subject. Their culture is vastly different from ours."

Harry agreed silently.

"Well, Japan sounds good. I guess The Way of the Mages would be an interesting subject. I mean, choosing a single creature would be kind of easy, don't you think. And about myths... well, you can't prove their existence or add anything worth mentioning since nobody's ever seen them, so I guess it would just be copying the textbooks down... What do you think?"

Draco looked pleased when he answered.

"Well, I do agree. On top of that, we can ask the Professor if we are in a pinch. Since he was raised there and all that."

Harry gulped audibly.

"Yeah, well, why not start with his sisters? They're more... reachable, don't you think?"

Draco smirked, but nodded anyway.

"Okay, then. When do you want to start?"

The raven-haired student cast a quick _Tempus_.

"I have a class a few minutes from now, but... are you free tonight after dinner?"

"Yes, I am."

"That's good. See you tonight here, then?"

"Yes. Later, Potter."

"Bye Malfoy."

The blonde gathered his things quickly and left the library, never losing his poise. Merlin, Harry thought, he had just had his first civil conversation with Draco Malfoy, and it had been work-related. Miracles _could_ happen after all.

Shaking his head in amusement, the young man wrote down a few more notes for his Charms assignment, before putting the lid back on his ink pot, drying his quill and carefully putting all the books he had taken back on their shelves. He had a Herbology lesson now, and headed down at a slow pace, knowing that he had more than enough time make it to the greenhouses in time for the start of the class.

o-O-o

"What do you want, Ferret?"

Harry looked up from his mashed potatoes, and turned around to see why Ron would verbally attack Malfoy, only to find himself head to chest with the blonde Seventh year, who was standing behind him, and superbly ignoring the red-head. Hermione only looked on warily, ready to intervene were one of them to give her reason to do so.

"Malfoy." Harry greeted cheerfully.

"Potter. Are you finished?"

The Boy-Who-Lived glanced at his food, swept what remained of mashed potatoes in his plate with a practiced movement of his fork and put it into his mouth, before nodding.

"Yeah."

"Let's go, then."

He stood, but just as he was about to leave, Ron's shout stopped him.

"Wait, Harry, what are you doing with the snake?"

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor, Mr Weasley!" Said Kurosaki's voice in the distance, in an infuriatingly bored tone, and without even glancing up. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Malfoy and I are partners in Defense, Ron, and unless you have forgotten, we have an assignment for the first class after Christmas. So we're going to work on it."

He didn't need to look at Hermione to know that she was looking at him with approval and even pride in her eyes, and he shot a small smile at her, before turning on his heels, waving at his friends over his shoulder.

"Well, see you later, guys!"

"Bye Harry!" Hermione and Ginny waved back, while Ron kept sputtering in indignation.

Malfoy smirked. Harry chuckled.

At the Head table, Ichigo smirked at his plate, while in the back of his mind, Shiro laughed his head off. The hollow had disliked the red-head ever since he had seen him, and took every occasion he had to get a good laugh at his expense.

Shaking his head with a low chuckle, Isshin watched the retreating wizards, feeling satisfied. Soon, the school would understand his son's views. And the fragile agreement between these two was the start of it. As the two rival Princes, they held a lot of influence over the others, even if Potter didn't seem to be aware of that. And if even them, who had been fighting ever since they got on the Hogwarts Express before first year, started to get along, then the others would be quick to follow and drop the House rivalry. Glancing at Ichigo, he saw that the young man had finished his meal and was about to leave.

Without a glance at his sisters.

Isshin's eyes darkened as he furrowed his eyebrows. Ever since the attack on Hogsmeade and Ichigo's successful interference, his children hadn't spoken to each other, with the exception of the twins, and even that was rare since they weren't in the same House. This system was killing his family, but he was pretty sure there was something else, and if he listened to the rumors, then he would think that they had had a fight.

But the twins and Ichigo fighting? It had never happened in fifteen years, not seriously, anyway, and now they had had such a huge row that they didn't even look at each other? Isshin felt concern well up in his chest. His son had never been very talkative or friendly, but when he made friends, then it was saturated with loyalty. People were never indifferent to him, they either loved or hated him, but never ignored him. His power and determination made sure of that.

And in the Wizarding World, he didn't have a lot of true friends like that, especially not in Britain, where Severus and Lucius were his only acquaintances. Isshin thought he could even say his son had grown very attached to the two men during their stay in Japan, and considered them as friends, if his reaction when they had come to Hogwarts was anything to go by. And yet, ever since a little before Halloween, he completely ignored the Potions Master, hadn't spoken to either of the two Slytherins during the ball, and had kept his distances from anyone else. Isshin included.

And now he refused to look at his sisters?

"Are you alright, Isshin?" Startled out of his thoughts, he looked up and at the concerned face of Xyomara Hooch, the flying instructor.

"Mmm yes?"

His obvious perplexity was enough to make her laugh.

"You've been poking that poor potato for a good ten minutes, I thought you'd like to know it's completely inoffensive." She explained with a smile.

Isshin turned to his plate, and saw that his potato didn't look remotely like one anymore. The thing was completely mutilated. He grimaced.

"Oops." He said with a sheepish grin, but it was halfhearted. Hooch obviously noticed, because she lay a comforting hand on his forearm.

"Whatever is bothering you, I'm sure it'll turn out alright." She said gently, before smiling one more time and going back to her meal.

Turn out alright, uh? He certainly hoped so.

But for some reason, the uneasy feeling in his chest kept growing, instead of abating.

o-O-o

"Kurosaki Sr looks worried."

Theo glanced at Blaise.

"So you noticed it too, uh?"

The tall Slytherin shrugged.

"It's hard not to. Karin and Yuzu haven't spoken to the Professor since the Hogsmeade attack, and whenever they look at him, Yuzu looks ready to burst into tears, and Karin seems to want to go and beat him up. Of course, I'd notice."

He shivered at the thought of the blazing glare Karin always leveled at her brother whenever she saw him. Beside him, Nott smirked.

"I heard they had had a fight right after the attack, but it was all in Japanese, and nobody could understand a thing."

Blaise frowned.

"Professor Snape understands it. And we could cast a translator spell, but we'd have to get a hold of a memory of the fight beforehand. Is it even possible to cast such a spell on a memory?"

Theo furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"I don't know. We'd have to ask Granger, I guess she'd know something like that."

Zabini grimaced. "I'd rather not."

"Anyway, it's none of our business, now, is it? We'd better wait and see how things turn out before doing anything."

"You mean before the twins are hurt."

The two shared a look, before turning back to their walk.

o-O-o

It was Wednesday evening, and the duelling club session was in full swing. Ichigo had decided to try and get his group to understand the importance of teamwork, and thus had stopped the pairs in their exercises and turned to look at his sisters, his eyes cold and dull.

"Kurosaki, both of you are going to fight against me. The twins' fighting power is twice their individual skill when they team up against an opponent. They will now show you how valuable working as a team can be in a fight."

He moved to the arena, and waited for them to face him.

The girls' demeanor changed immediately. They oriented their bodies in opposite directions, so that the teacher would be blocked on the sides, and when they moved, it was in perfect synchronization. When one attacked and Ichigo dodged, it was only to find himself right in the way of the other twin, who mercilessly kicked and shot spells, never showing any concern about the fact that the opponent was actually their brother. If the twins were exceptional fighters, however, their brother still had no problem evading their attacks and, in the end, defeating them, even though the two had obviously put all their fighting power behind their attacks, which the terrible state of the arena after the fight confirmed easily.

"When in a fight," the teacher explained as the siblings sat back down, "it is more often than not a question of life or death to know that you can rely on somebody to have your back. Of course, you have to be powerful, and train so that you can defend yourself, and eliminate any and all threats. But to have friends you trust with your life behind you and know how to fight with is an asset your enemies will not always have. Cooperation, trust and loyalty can get you very far, a lot further than you could ever go by yourself. Never forget that."

"You sound like you speak by experience, sir."

The young man nodded at Draco's carefully formulated question.

"You wouldn't believe the things I could not have done had my friends not been with me." He said seriously. "We were five at the beginning, six after that, and managed to break into a fortress, while gathering allies on our way. And we were nowhere near as powerful as the strongest of our adversaries at the time. But we still won. Because we were together." He paused. "That is one of the reasons I say that the House rivalry is stupid. Together, you can do anything. Alone, you're weak. That's how it is."

He then started to say something else, but a loud beeping sound suddenly interrupted him. He ignored it, though, until suddenly, there was a loud swearing sound, and a voice rose from the table where he had left his outer robes, as the hologram of a tall man with a high, messy ponytail and wearing a torn, bloody kimono appeared. The students gasped at the sight of the injured man.

"What is it?" The teacher barked, turning to the image. "I'm in the middle of class!"

"Ichigo..."

The hybrid stiffened. Renji sounded tired, defeated almost, and sad, and... scared? Dread welled up in his chest as he drew himself up to his full height in anticipation, ready to move, never noticing that the device was converting the conversation in English, and everybody in the hall had stopped training to listen instead.

"Renji? What is it? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's Rukia."

"Well, what about her?" He asked urgently, feeling all the blood drain from his face. If anything had happened...

"There was a raid. Earlier. Rukia was wounded. And she won't wake up."

The people listening suddenly saw the strong and dark Defense Professor take a shaky step back, while he blanched.

"Inoue...?"

"There's something blocking her. She's been at it for half an hour already, and it's barely stopped bleeding. Captain Unohana can't do anything either." A pause, and then, the Shinigami spoke again. "Ichigo... They think she might not make it."

* * *

><p><strong>Tadadadaaaaam! What's going to happen, I wonder...! Or rather, <em>you<em> do! I already know, mwahahahaha! **

***Cackles evilly***

**So, did you like it? Didn't proofread myself, if there are any mistakes... well, you know the drill^^!**

**I love you, please review! If you do, you'll get a cookie!**


	14. Rukia

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everyone and happy new year! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long, I just finished with my end of term exams, and so I'm back! And I just discovered Supernatural, best TV show ever, can't wait for the next episode!<br>Again, sorry for the wait, here goes the chapter! You can thank CocoBjork whose review gave me the good push I needed to update! Thanks!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 14:<span>

It was as if he had just been punched in the gut. All his breath left him, and he was left panting, unable to gather his composure, feeling faint and like he was about to collapse. Rukia...

_No..._

"Ichigo?"

"I'm coming."

"Wha-?"

"I'm coming. I'll be over as soon as possible." He turned to his father quickly, then added. "We'll save her, Renji, whatever it takes, I swear she'll live to give you miniature pineapples running around and watching that horrid bunny all day."

The hologram's lips barely twitched, but it was there.

"Don't take too long. According to Unohana, she won't see the sun raise tomorrow."

The flickering image disappeared, and Ichigo turned to his students, his features hard.

"Dismissed." He then quickly made his way over to the staff, who had gathered at the start of the call. "My apologies, Headmaster, but I am afraid I will not be available for classes for an undetermined length of time." He said. "One of my friends is dying. I am needed in Japan."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, of course, I understand perfectly, Ichigo."

"My father will give you any messages from me during my absence, of course."

Then, with a quick nod at them and a pointed look at Isshin, he turned around and exited the Great Hall in swift strides, his discarded robes darting after him in a quiet show of perfectly executed wandless magic.

He darted out of the Hall and up the stairs to his father's quarters, where he left his body in the guest room. Then, he opened the window and a quick burst of _shunpo_ took him to the top of the Astronomy tower, the highest tower of the castle, where he made a quick job of opening a Garganta. He rushed in the darkness, using his Hollow instincts to direct himself and make sure he wouldn't get lost in the void between the worlds, not even thinking about the small amounts of reiatsu he directed into his feet so as to create himself a path to walk on and increase his speed. He dashed into the darkness, all of his being focused on one goal: to go, faster and faster, to the side of the one friend who had stood by his side through everything, whom had been his beginning, and whose end was slowly coming, only to bring down Renji's with hers.

Renji, who would have proposed to her on Christmas, Renji who had been in love with her for over a century now, Renji who had been ready to fade in the background at a time when he thought Ichigo was in love with the woman he himself loved if it could make her happy. Renji who would most likely not survive his beloved's death, and would either wither away or close on himself just like Byakuya had after Hisana's death.

But that was something Ichigo refused to allow, something he would never let happen. He would save Rukia, save Renji, give them their chance at happiness. God knew they deserved it after everything they had gone through.

The other end of the portal was right there, and he burst through in a powerful burst of flash step, entering the Soul Society silently, before rushing in the direction of the Fourth Division barracks, where he could feel several familiar reiatsus. He slowed down to normal speed at the entrance of the infirmary, and quickly asked a random Shinigami for directions, before hurrying down the hallways and towards the room. Rukia's reiatsu was barely there, flickering like a dying flame, and he couldn't help the thundering of his heart in his chest. If Rukia died...

But she wouldn't.

She wouldn't die, because he wouldn't allow it. Ever.

The door slid open with a rapid hand wave, and he stepped inside, his eyes immediately zeroing on the bed standing under the window, on the right side of the room. Renji was sitting in a chair by the side of the bed, and there was an orange dome humming gently over the limp body on the mattress, while two women, one with long russet hair and the other with braided black hair and worried violet eyes were leaning over Rukia. He quickly stepped forward, and came to a stop as he reached them, his eyes never leaving Rukia's body.

She was very pale, her lips a worrisome shade of purple. Her breathing was reduced to a hissing wheeze, the rise and fall of her chest was shallow, and it was obvious that the tiniest movement was painful to her, as her features were contorted in agony even in unconsciousness. Her hair was disheveled and matted with blood, her chest had been slashed open, blood steadily flowing from the wound despite everything that had been done to stop the hemorrhage, and bruises littered her usually pale skin. Her Zanpakutô had been laid on the bedside table, chipped.

Ichigo closed his eyes and expanded his senses, trying to understand what it was that prevented Inoue's extraordinary talent from working on the gruesome injury. The russet-haired woman looked exhausted, her brow dripping with sweat and her large grey eyes tired and desperate as she poured every last ounce of energy she had into the healing of their friend, but he could feel how sad she felt, because despite all the time she had spent doing her best, nothing helped, and Rukia kept losing blood. Unohana wasn't much better, and he quickly focused on his task, while gently taking Inoue's hand in his to give her as much reiatsu as he could to help her hold on, without her being tainted by Hollow Spirit Energy.

The _Souten Kisshun _pulsed with energy as the young women gasped under the sudden income of energy, before settling down at a steady brightness and purring. Unohana absently nodded her head in approval, while Renji just looked on, watching the proceedings with blank eyes.

His eyes still closed, Ichigo dove into the currents of spirit particles that composed the reiatsu flows within the Soul Society, trying to determine what to do. Whatever was blocking Inoue's power, it would take too much energy and time to overcome it, so he would have to try another approach, and to him, the answer to that was another question: could wizarding potions be used on souls? He had never tried before, and didn't want to risk experimenting on Rukia. He would never forgive himself if she died because he had foolishly administered a potion, but the problem still remained that he really didn't have the time to calculate whether a healing potion would have a positive or negative effect on a Shinigami. He could only theorize.

And so he got out of his trance, and turned to Renji.

"Get me Urahara and Yoruichi. Now."

The red-head didn't ask questions: he merely left in a burst of _Shunpo_. A few minutes later, the blonde and his wife came in hurriedly.

"Ichigo. What is it?"

"I have a question for you both: do you think a wizarding potion could have adverse effects if used on a Shinigami, or do you think it could work?"

Urahara glanced at the prone body, while Yoruichi looked deep in thought. They mulled over the question for a few minutes, talking lowly and animatedly as they calculated what Ichigo was too busy to reflect on, then walked back over to them.

"I think, given the current state of your friend, that trying a potion on her could only be beneficial. Without it, she will die, and if it doesn't work, well... we will have tried everything we could think of."

The hybrid captain nodded without looking away from Rukia.

"I'll have to take her to the Living World, then. I can't convert the potion ingredients into spirit particles, lest they lose all property. I'll cast a stasis spell on her."

"We can't take her in." Urahara said grimly. "With the war, she would be defenseless were we to be attacked."

Ichigo nodded.

"I know that. I thought about taking to the Shihouin Mansion, but I don't think it would be a good idea until she awakes and is strong enough to walk around. She doesn't know anything about magic, and I'd rather be around when she wakes up, especially if I have to explain to her how things work in my house." He shook his head. "No, I'll take her to Hogwarts. My father will look after her, and that way, I will be warned when she wakes up or if anything happens."

He stepped back, motioning to the two healers to do so as well, then held his hands forward, and cast a perfect _kidô_ stasis spell complete with the incantation to make sure it lasted longer, then opened a Garganta with a flick of his wrist.

"I want to come!" Renji blurted out.

Mismatched eyes met determined brown, and the young captain nodded slowly.

"Very well. But don't talk when we're with wizards, they think the war in Japan is only a wizarding one, they have no idea what it actually involves."

"Okay."

"Then let's go."

Another flick of his wrist, and Rukia's body floated over to him before following Renji into the Garganta. Ichigo stepped in as well, then turned to the four people in the room.

"Please inform Byakuya of this development. Of course, he can come and visit. Thank you for your work. You should get some rest, you both look ready to collapse." And then, with a gentle smile, he was gone, and the portal had closed silently. Urahara and Yoruichi shared a look, before quickly stepping forward and each scooping up an exhausted healer.

"Come now," the cat-woman said gently, "you need a good night's sleep."

They didn't even try to protest. They had fallen asleep even before they reached their bed.

o-O-o

The Order of the Phoenix plus Ichigo's family was gathered in the Great Hall, discussing the events of the evening, when suddenly, the doors burst open to reveal an exhausted looking man clad in a black kimono, and whose shockingly red hair was now let down around his tattooed face instead of up in the messy ponytail they had seen in the hologram. He glanced around quickly, before his gaze stopped on Isshin.

"_Rukia's here. We need potions. She won't stop bleeding._" He said, unaware of the fact that the translator spell now worked for the whole of the Order.

The former Shinigami immediately stood and made his way over to him.

"_What happened?_"

"_A raid on Karakura. Your house, to be exact. They were furious when they discovered that you had left. Strangely enough, they hadn't found out beforehand. Rukia got into a fight with that bastard Ulquiorra. Her chest's sliced open. Can't stop the bleeding. Inoue herself couldn't do anything. Urahara said potions might help._" The sixth division lieutenant quickly explained. "_Ichigo has her under a stasis spell, so he couldn't come. They're on the front lawn._"

Thank God that Ichigo had long ago changed his Shinigami uniform for something more convenient in his line of duty: his soul's gear was similar enough to his mortal body's that the wizards wouldn't notice the difference and suspect something. They ran to the entrance of the castle, ignoring the pounding of feet as the Order followed, and then over to the dark form of Ichigo bent over a floating body encased in a blue-green box of translucent energy. The wizards couldn't help but gasp as they took in the terrible state the girl was in.

She didn't look any older than sixteen, maybe less. Her frame was petite, with black hair and pale skin, and she was clad in the same black kimono as the red-haired man, whose name they had heard was Renji. Her chest had been cut open, and she was covered in bruises, blood matting her hair, face and skin.

The DADA teacher looked up as they stopped by him. He looked tired, his hands glowing the same eerie shade of blue the stasis spell was, and it was obvious that it was draining his energy, and quite quickly at that.

"Karin, Yuzu." He said. "I need you to summon all of my potions stock. You know what it is in." His body gave a violent tremor. "Hurry, I won't hold on for much longer, the wound is too serious for me to contain the damage for much longer."

Together, the twins drew their wands without a question, and muttered an incantation. A few minutes later, a heavy black briefcase dropped onto the ground by Ichigo's side.

"Open it." He ordered, and Karin obeyed, revealing row upon row of multicolored vials carefully labeled and ordered by name. "I need blood-replenishing, skele-grow, nerve-mender, skin-knitter, pain-reliever, and dreamless sleep."

He waited while the girls quickly got out the potions he needed, then glanced at Renji, back at his unconscious friend, and up at Severus.

"Severus," he said, gesturing for the man to come closer, which he did, kneeling opposite him across the body, "I'll pour first the blood-replenishing potion, then the skin-knitter and nerve-mender. I need you to make sure she doesn't bleed to death while I'm focused on the potions, okay?"

The Potions Master nodded.

"Very well. On a count of three. One... Two... Three."

The blue-green _kidô_ vanished, and suddenly, crimson liquid was flowing out of the wound again and soaking the earth beneath the body, and Ichigo had opened Rukia's mouth and was pouring a blood-red potion, massaging her throat to get her to swallow, before he quickly did the same for the skin-knitter and nerve-mender, while Severus counted silently, two fingers on the small wrist, making sure that the girl didn't pass away during the healing.

"Renji," Ichigo said to his friend, "I need you to pour reiatsu into her. Quickly. She needs energy to assimilate the potions and allow them to work."

The red-head obeyed. He placed his hands on his beloved's _Soul Chain_ before pouring the most power he could into her frail body, doing everything he could to give her a chance to live. Live by his side, live so he could propose to her and give her the family she had always wanted. For Byakuya, despite all of his efforts to get a little more friendly, still had a long way to go to be the ideal big brother, and Rukia was a somewhat outgoing girl when it came to her affections.

Pink energy shimmered around his fingers, entwining itself with the white tendrils of Rukia's own spirit pressure, before disappearing into her chest, and he could feel himself weakening, but he didn't care. All that was important to him was that Rukia needed to live, that her wound had closed up, that the skin had knitted together and the bruises faded under the potions, and maybe, maybe she would make it against all odds... When he was brutally yanked backwards, he struggled, but couldn't keep it up for too long as he felt so tired he could barely move, and he found himself listening to the person murmuring comforting words to him.

"_It's okay. You gave her enough. She'll make it, Renji, she's saved. She'll live. Look._"

A finger was pointing at Rukia, while he was being half-carried half-led over to her, and he looked intently, only to find that the wound had closed, that there was a scar, yes, but nothing as gruesome as it could have been. Rukia was still unconscious, of course, but she looked at peace instead of in pain, and her breathing was now deep and steady. Goodness Gracious, she was safe.

Rukia was safe, she would make it, she would _live_.

Rukia wouldn't die.

Rukia was alive.

It was too much for him, and he collapsed on his knees by her body, gathered the frail form into his arms, and cried for all he was worth. For the war, the losses, the stress, the pain and the grief, and the fear, the utter horror the mere idea of losing her had aroused in his chest, in his heart, his very soul. The panic, the knowledge that without her, he would have gone mad.

But Ichigo had been faithful, he had kept his promise.

Ichigo had come, and he had saved her.

Bloody hero.

But he had never been happier than in this instant to have him as a friend and ally.

To have him by his side.

o-O-o

In the commotion, nobody noticed the portal opening a few feet away, or the man who silently stepped through. He walked over to the group silently, and stopped a distance away, taking in the scene with a practiced eye.

Rukia was in Renji's arms, and if her limp arm was anything to go by, she was still unconscious, but the fact that nobody was rushing around and that there were several empty vials scattered on the ground by a spot of grass covered in blood only confirmed the assumption that she was out of the woods. A group of wizards, students and adults alike, was staring at his fierce lieutenants as he was breaking down over the petite body, and he couldn't help the thought that if the red-head actually had the guts to ask for her hand, then he would grant it without a second thought.

Shihouin Azrael was standing by Renji's side, looking worse for wear, his clothes and hands covered in blood, but never showing any sign of weakness even as his father and several wizards shot him concerned looks every other minute. He inwardly sighed, recognizing the infuriating stubbornness his friend could display whenever he was in the mood, and stepped forward, attracting attention as he did so.

Ignoring the wands leveled at him, he moved closer to the younger captain, and clasped his fingers around his forearm.

"_Byakuya_." It was only a whisper.

"_Ichigo. I see you accomplished the impossible once more._"

Tired mismatched eyes met him, and he saw the second when the other caught his gratitude, as they lit up a little.

"_Yes. She should be okay. I don't know when she will wake up, though._"

He swayed a little. Apparently, the arrival of someone he knew could take care of things and be relied on had put his concerns to rest, and allowed him to drop part of the unbreakable commander attitude. Now, the exhaustion from the huge transfer of reiatsu was catching up to him, and he was about to collapse where he stood.

"_Go and get some sleep, you foolish child._" Byakuya said disapprovingly, ignoring the fact that to uninformed onlookers, it looked like he and Ichigo were around the same age. "_I will take care of everything._"

But the hybrid shook his head and turned to his father.

"_Can you take Rukia and Renji in your rooms for the night?_"

The man gave a quick nod and bent down to whisper in Renji's ear, making him stand up, Rukia's body cradled against his strong chest. A few seconds later, the two of them were at the Entrance Doors, Isshin leading Renji through the maze of the corridors. Ichigo then turned to the gathered wizards.

"I apologize for the disturbance, but I had no other choice. My friend was dying, and needed potions I had here."

"Of course, my boy, no problem, we are happy to help." Dumbledore said gently. "You should get some rest now," he added, "you look exhausted."

"Thank you. I will see you tomorrow."

"Will you be able to teach?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Very well, then, good night."

"Good night."

He and Byakuya walked away, with a small nod from the latter to the Order as he helped his friend to his rooms. They had barely made it to the bedroom that Ichigo had collapsed on the bed, asleep before his head had even grazed the pillow. The noble observed him for a minute. The younger man looked completely worn out. He had dark rings under his eyes, and he was very pale, paler than usual. His clothes were covered in blood, something he had apparently forgotten when he had just gone to sleep on the immaculate sheets of his bed, and Byakuya found himself shaking his head fondly.

He took off Ichigo's shoes, relieved him of the various weapons hidden on his body, carefully stashing them by the bed, before divesting himself of his haori and Zanpakutô. Then, he laid down on the soft mattress by Ichigo's side and fell asleep watching the sleeping features of the man who had, believing him to be asleep, confessed that he loved him a few weeks ago.

o-O-o

He was sore all over, and felt horribly sluggish.

That's the first thing that came to his mind when he woke up, before he noticed that he was really comfortable, nestled against something warm and strong, with the acute feeling that he was safe and didn't need to worry about anything.

Ichigo opened his eyes.

He was in his room at Hogwarts, lying on his bed. No questions here. What he had trouble explaining, however, was the fact that a very handsome and very asleep Kuchiki Byakuya was asleep next to him, in the same bed, one arm slung over his hips and his toned chest Ichigo's newest pillow. Not that it was uncomfortable or that he didn't like it, mind you, but still... He would have liked to know how the hell they had assumed such a position. Surely, they couldn't have got drunk enough to sleep together and not remember it on the morrow. Well, Ichigo could, but it wasn't something he often did nowadays because he had to be alert at all times not to be killed, and Byakuya would never stoop so low as to _getting drunk_. It would be entirely unbecoming of a noble of his status.

A silent, wandless _Tempus_ told him that he had ten minutes to spare before he would have to rise and get ready for breakfast, and so he took that time to soak in the sleeping man's perfect features, and try to remember the happenings of the night before. They were quick to come back to him, however, and when they did, he felt like burrowing further into the older man's chest and just curling up and never moving ever again. Rukia had been hurt, Rukia had almost died, he had saved Rukia.

The massive amount of reiatsu he had had to give up to keep her alive and under stasis had almost drained his resources, thus the horrible state he was in. He barely held back a groan. He hated feeling helpless, and with the quantity of spirit energy he had lost, it would take him at least a week to recover fully. Brilliant perspective, really. Sighing, he carefully untangled himself from Byakuya's embrace, gently laid a light kiss on the pure white forehead and headed to the bathroom for a well-deserved shower.

If the new color of the sheets was anything to go by, he hadn't had the strength to clean himself before going to sleep yesterday -or was it earlier that day? He had no idea.- and was still covered in blood. Dried blood, but blood all the same, and he didn't fancy giving his students a heart attack. And anyway, he had an image to keep and so it was out of the question for him to have a single hair out of place. Not to mention the fact that he really disliked being dirty.

Once he was all washed up and clothed in his usual garb, he headed to the living room, thanking all the Gods that his father had had the foresight to leave his mortal body on the couch for him to get back in when he woke up. Grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill, he wrote a quick message for Byakuya to find when he woke up, and exited his rooms, heading for his father's.

Rukia was still unconscious, but that wasn't very surprising. Renji, however, was sleeping on a camp bed most likely put there by a house elf. Smiling softly at the sight of the red-head turned on his side facing Rukia even in sleep, he closed the door silently and greeted Isshin who had just exited his own room.

"_How are they?_" The older man asked.

"_Still out_." Ichigo said simply. "_I'll be back after lunch, mind explaining things to Renji when he wakes up?_"

"_Of course._ _What did you do with Byakuya?_"

"_Still asleep. I left him a note._"

The former Shinigami smiled and hummed.

"_Okay. Go now, don't miss breakfast. Oh, Ichigo?_" The young man looked over his shoulder. "_I got your potions briefcase and the empty vials._"

"_Ah. Thanks, Dad. I'll take it back at lunch too._"

And with one last nod, he left. When he entered the Great Hall, he was immediately the target of hundreds of curious, worried, awed or calculating gazes, from both staff and students, which he meticulously ignored before sitting at the Head Table. Piling food on his plate -eating was important to the renewal of his lost reiatsu-, he felt more than he saw his neighbor shift on his seat, and asked, never looking up from his meal.

"What is it?"

"Well, good morning to you too, Ichigo." Severus said sarcastically, but the hybrid merely gazed at him blankly. "You look like hell swarmed over." He added bluntly.

"Thank you." Ichigo answered. "I am flattered."

"So, Ichigo, how is your friend? Has she woken up yet?"

"She is still asleep, but she was still alive this morning, so she will live."

"And the others?" McGonagall asked.

"Sleeping. Yesterday was very... taxing."

"Yes, we could see that." Hooch interjected. "What happened to that poor girl?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"There was a raid on my hometown. Apparently, they were targeting my former house. Rukia was amongst those fighting off the invasion. She was injured. I will know more when I have talked to Lord Kuchiki and his lieutenant."

"Lieutenant?" Pomona Sprout repeated, looking intrigued.

"Renji Abarai, you saw him yesterday. Red hair and tattoos."

"You have a military hierarchy?" Severus inquired.

"Yes, in a fashion. There is a Captain-Commander, thirteen captains, thirteen lieutenants, and officers going from third to seventh seat. After that, there are only soldiers."

"So, Lord Kuchiki is actually a captain, and Abarai his lieutenant?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Precisely."

"What are you?"

"A captain. Fifth division captain, to be exact."

There was a contemplative silence as they registered the fact that he was amongst the higher ranked on his fighting side.

"Are the divisions numbered considering their importance or power?" McGonagall asked.

"No. There are just thirteen divisions, each of which has its specialty. For example, the second division is the Covert Ops, while the fourth is all about healing, though they can fight if need be. That's how their captain is."

"Does that mean the captain makes the division?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Yes, pretty much."

They all looked at him, impressed, silently wondering what kind of division his was.

"Do injuries such as the one your friend sustained yesterday occur on a common basis?" Madam Pomfrey asked, her voice full of dread.

He looked up, gazing at her blankly.

"Well..."

"Yeah, they do. Ichigo here was almost cut in half when he was fifteen." A new voice said, and they saw Renji Abarai standing there. "Abarai Renji, Sixth Division lieutenant at your service."

The man looked far better than he had yesterday. He had tied his hair up, showing off his tattooed eyebrows, and his usual visor was back on his forehead.

"Renji." Ichigo greeted coolly.

"Strawberry." The other answered, garnering himself strange looks, even as Ichigo glared. "Come off it, man, you know they'd have found out one day anyway, so why bother hiding it?" He turned back to the teachers even as he piled food on his plate. "Ichigo's one of the infirmary's regulars. Lost a limb or two, got almost cut in half at fifteen, stabbed more times than I can count all of that before he even turned twenty. But what a fighter! He's our best!" He rambled, blissfully oblivious to the growing horror his words evoked in the teachers, who looked at the DADA Professor with a completely different eye.

"Surely you exaggerate!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, looking horrified.

Renji looked up, surprised.

"Exaggerate? I'd say I downplayed it, mostly. And that's not even half of it. Once, he-"

"I think that is enough, Abarai. Go make sure my sister has not woken." An icy voice intervened, and Ichigo, who had dropped his head in his hands in a decidedly undignified way, looked up gratefully at Byakuya, muttering about noble saviors even as Renji jumped to his feet and bowed to his captain, before hurrying away.

The noble inclined his head as a greeting to the staff, and sat down in the spot his subordinate had just vacated.

"_You just saved me to get his seat, didn't you?_" Ichigo mumbled.

Byakuya smirked.

"Your sister?" Dumbledore inquired, talking about Byakuya's order.

"Indeed."

"The injured girl?" McGonagall tried to get him to clarify.

"Yes. Rukia Kuchiki is her name."

The teachers looked at each other in disbelief. The girl was his sister? But he had barely shot a glance at her the night before, when she had been on the verge of dying! What kind of a brother was he? Superbly ignoring them, the man turned to Ichigo, looking him over with a critical eye.

"_Well, you certainly look better than you did yesterday._" He said conversationally, making the younger man grimace.

"_Yes, well... I lost a lot of reiatsu._"

Silver eyes darkened to an stormy shade.

"_Yes, about that... Did you manage to determine the source of the block? It is the first time Inoue Orihime's powers failed to work._"

Ichigo shook his head, sighing.

"_No. I did not have enough time. But there was a high amount of Hollow reiatsu in the wound, maybe the result of Ulquiorra's _Segunda Etapa_, I do not know. It is most likely one of the components of the block. I remember when Grimmjow took her to heal me in Hueco Mundo, she had trouble rejecting the wound because of the amount of spiritual pressure in it._"

Byakuya frowned in thought.

"_You think Aizen could have ordered his men to pour a large dose of reiatsu into the wounds they inflict so as to prevent any healing?_"

A nod.

"_Well, it would force Unohana-san and Inoue to handle every case, and therefore, concentrate only on the best fighters, thus deflating our ranks and rendering a good part of the Fourth Division useless since they do not have the power necessary to heal such wounds. Plus, the continuous activity and strain would soon get them on their knees, and we would be deprived of any competent healer. It is killing two birds with one stone._"

They fell silent as they ate their breakfast.

"_You know Rukia will not be able to return on the battlefield for quite a while, do you not?_" Byakuya finally said.

"_She will stay at the Shihouin Mansion if you allow it._" Ichigo said. "_It is very well protected, and there are people there who can look after her. I will also make sure Ishida, Inoue, Chad and the others are around to make sure she is alright._"

The noble rose an elegant eyebrow at the mention of the hybrid's human friends.

"_I planned on inviting them to stay over until the end of the war._" Ichigo explained. "_The premises are extremely well protected, and Karakura is far too dangerous by now to let them stay there._"

The dark-haired male inclined his head in agreement.

"_Very well, then._"

Breakfast was coming to an end. Ichigo stood.

"_I will see you at lunch, then. Feel free to explore the grounds, and if you need anything, do not hesitate to refer yourself to my father, or just ask a house elf. You can just call Tidby. She is at my service for the year._"

Byakuya thanked him by dipping his chin in appreciation, before Ichigo headed for his classes.

A few hours later, Ichigo sighed as he dismissed his last morning class. He ran a hand through his hair wearily, before looking up at the feeling of familiar reiatsu, and the students excited murmurs. Looking up, he saw Byakuya standing in the doorway, and inclined his head in greeting as the man stepped forward and into the classroom.

"_You look tired._"

"_Students are always a pain to handle._" He shrugged noncommittally.

"_Yes, I can imagine that._"

Ichigo rose an eyebrow. "_Can you?_"

The noble's eyes came to a stop on the painting on the wall. "_I was asked several times to inspect or give lectures at the Academy._"

The hybrid snorted. "_I cannot help but think that none of the poor kids would have dared blink one too many times for fear of attracting your wrath._"

"_Of course not._" Byakuya replied as they moved into the hallway. "_They knew better than to annoy me. However, their skill was quite... appalling._"

"_You can't expect them to be as knowledgeable as you. Being a noble and a Captain, you have centuries of experience over them, along with a terrific difference in terms of reiatsu._"

The dark-haired man rose an eyebrow.

"_Did I actually just get complimented by you, Shihouin?_"

Ichigo looked away.

"_I was merely stating facts._"

"_I'm sure you were._"

They walked over to the Head table and took their seats, continuing their conversation.

"How is Rukia?" Ichigo asked in English as a fake display of politeness considering their entourage.

"Still asleep. Abarai stayed with her."

Ichigo shot him a look.

"He did not sleep at hall, did he?"

"Considering the baboon-like look he sported this morning -more than usual, that is, I think I can safely say that indeed he did not."

The younger man rolled his eyes discreetly.

"I am sure I will end up having to drug him into sleep. She will most likely not wake up for another couple of days, he cannot keep that up."

"Indeed."

They ate quickly, then went back to Ichigo's classroom, where the hybrid conjured comfortable armchairs for them to sit in. Once again, Byakuya found his eyes drawn to the large painting on the wall, and lingering on the proud figure of Ichigo, standing right by his side. Their features were shadowed, of course, but it was obvious to anyone who knew. Renji, he absently thought, would most likely drool over that wonderful work of art.

"_Did you do this?_"

The fifth captain, who had been busy tracing the noble's delicate face, looked up and followed his gaze.

"_Yes._" He said, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"_It is beautiful._"

Ichigo said nothing. There was no need. He knew his friend would catch on his gratitude, as always. The man had always known what he thoughts and felt, he was like that. An open book to Byakuya, and nobody else. Maybe it was because of their strong similarity, he didn't know.

"_Ichigo._"

He looked back at the man, and stiffened at the serious look in the silver eyes. Not answering, he merely stared back at him, waiting for him to broach whatever subject he needed to discuss. And he had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was.

**'Ya'll be okay, **_**Aibou. **_**Ya always are.'** Shiro said comfortingly in his mind.

"_You went back to the Soul Society the other day._" It wasn't a question, just a statement, and the young man found himself nodding, because there was no way he could have answered with the current state of drought his throat suddenly found itself.

"_Am I wrong in assuming that you came and visited me at my mansion?_" Ichigo shook his head. "_I thought so..._" Byakuya's voice dropped to a low murmur. "_Had I been aware of your visit, I would have stayed up, of course._"

Ichigo just looked at him impassively, inwardly making sure to keep his expressionless mask in place and checking his Occlumency shields. Breaking down when the man rejected him and told him he never wanted to see him against outside of work would be out of place and undignified, not mentioning the shame and humiliation it would entail. He would stay tall and proud and accept the verdict with pride and honor, like the well-bred man he was. The break-up of their friendship would be nothing new to him. He had known his fair share of betrayals after all.

Byakuya stared at him silently, silver eyes glinting strangely in the cold winter light, and he fought not to shiver under that cool gaze.

"_You must have been quite distressed to have started rambling like you did." _

He would die before the end of this, he was sure. Rejecting him was one thing, but he would rather Byakuya made it quick and relatively painless instead of dragging on and taking so much time to say it. Beating around the bush had never been his cup of tea.

"_I was awake at the time, as I am sure you recall, and..._"

He _was_ doing it on purpose! Ichigo realized with a start, not noticing how hard his own eyes had become as he started the older man in the eye.

"_... I remember hearing the most peculiar of confessions._"

Ah. Here it was. The noble had finished his introduction, and would now, _finally_ get to the point and swiftly crush him under his heel.

Silence fell over them, crushing them with the horrid feeling that the calm before the storm brings, a harbinger of catastrophe and despair and misery. But Ichigo didn't yield, he didn't look away or bow his head to the upcoming disaster. No, he kept his chin up and face inexpressive, eyes guarded and lips closed despite the terrible anticipation that was slowly crushing his chest with agonizing mercilessness.

Byakuya opened his mouth.

Ichigo lowered his eyelids, half-closing his eyes.

Here it came.

"_Did you mean it?_"

The tone was soft, something he wasn't expecting, and it threw him completely off balance. Glancing at Byakuya, he saw the other man's gaze was softer. Hope swirled in his chest, but he quickly squished it. There was no need to give himself false expectations. The shock would only be greater, and so, when he spoke, it was almost aggressive, but defensive still.

"_Yes._"

He wouldn't ask what the noble was talking about. It would be futile, a waste of time.

And both of them knew how short time could be, even when you live in a seemingly timeless realm.

Silence. They just looked at each other quietly, Ichigo, waiting for Byakuya's sentence, and the dark-haired noble, searching for something on his friend's face, his silver eyes unreadable.

"_You must keep in mind that after Hisana's death, I decided not to attach myself to anyone, and have a relationship with anyone..._"

His heart shattered into thousands upon thousands of tiny shards of glass so loudly he was surprised Byakuya didn't hear it. He felt like he had been punched in the gut and doused with a bucket of ice cold water, and the blood drained from his face, as he struggled to keep up his cool facade, inwardly praying for something to happen that would cut short the moment of pure agony he was going through.

And for once, he was heard and granted, and the bell rang just as the earliest students knocked at his door. Waiting three seconds to keep up appearances and make it look like he wasn't fleeing, he stood elegantly and nodded to his fellow Clan Leader, before waving his hand at the door and calling the teens in.

"_I will see you later._" He said coolly. "_I apologize for taking your time._" A polite but firm way to tell the man the meeting was over.

Byakuya rose to his feet, the conjured armchair vanishing as he did, and seemed to hesitate for a split second, before he gave Ichigo a short nod and exited the classroom, disappearing into the hallway. The hybrid kept staring at the spot he had last been in for a minute longer, then came back to the present with a sigh, and ran a weary hand through his dark hair, briefly closing his eyes. He felt so tired...

Tired of everything. The war, his relationship problems, his regrets, trying to handle being half-living and half-dead, trying to conciliate being a Wizard and a Shinigami, everything.

"Professor..."

He opened his eyes, looked at Hermione Granger's concerned face. Strangely enough, most of the class mirrored her expression.

"Yes, Ms Granger?"

"Are you... are you okay? You don't look too well... Is it your friend?"

He gave a dark chuckle at the not-so-subtle inquiry, but couldn't deny the sincerity in her words.

"I am quite fine, Ms Granger. And my friend is out of the woods. She should wake up in a few days. The injury-induced stress was very taxing on her body, and she needs to sleep to recuperate fully. Once she is ready, she will awaken. Do not worry."

She nodded, looking relieved, and he forced a small smile, seeing that she still seemed slightly concerned. He turned back to his class.

"Anyway, today, we will study..."

* * *

><p><strong>So, was the chapter worth the wait? <strong>


	15. Spying, Feelings, and Sweet Eternities

**Dawn of the Moonfang**  
>By Tango Dancer<p>

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><p><strong>Okay people, I'm proud to announce that I passed my exams and got my semester, yay! Also, I discovered <strong>_**Merlin**_**, the other day, I've already watched all four series, and it's so very awesome! WOW! I can't wait for series 5 to be aired, and was so excited when I saw it was shot in France! **

**Anyway, my sister also kindly informed me yesterday (and for the second time too) that I'm a freak for loving slash stories! WTH! I just told her that if she didn't want to know, then she shouldn't ask, for Heaven's sake! **

**Ok****ay, I'm done now. Here's the chapter, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 15:<span>

The lesson passed quickly. For once, the young wizards just listened and obeyed without question, never bringing up the subject of the House rivalry and the person they had been paired with. It was almost as if they had sensed their teacher's distress, and found that it would be a better idea to leave him alone and be on their best behavior. He was, after all, still involved in a terrible war which had almost cost him a close friend only the night before, and was obviously exhausted, even though he wouldn't show it.

And strangely enough, it was the same for all of the young man's classes. When the end of the day bell rang, he found Renji leaning against the wall opposite his classroom, arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed, and smirked at the slightly fearful, awed or even swooning looks of the students who passed him by in the hallway.

"_Renji._"

"_Ichigo. How were classes?_"

"_Okay, I guess. How's Rukia?_"

A red eyebrow rose, but the brown eyes shown only worry and seriousness.

"_You ask? The lazy noble's still asleep, of course!_"

Ichigo sighed lightly.

"_I will go and check on her. And we should move her to the infirmary._"

"_Wha-? But-!_"

"_She'll be looked after 24/7 if she's there, Renji, while my father can only do so much while still fulfilling his duties here. And you can't decently ask that he stay caged in his rooms to watch a sleeping girl._"

The sixth lieutenant looked ready to protest at that, but thought better of it and closed his mouth begrudgingly. While the war hadn't fully tamed his fiery personality, he had learned to think before blurting out whatever he felt and rushing head first into sticky situations. That new state of mind had saved his life quite a few times, and Ichigo was glad the Shinigami had followed his example, for had he stayed the same, he would have been amongst the first casualties in the war. He lay a comforting hand on his friend's forearm.

"_I know it's hard for you, Renji. Believe me, I know. But the nurse has spells to warn her in case she awakens or there is any change in her condition, spells she can afford to cast while I need my energy. And she will be able to intervene quicker if anything happens, than if I had to cross the whole castle to help._"

Renji lowered his eyes. They had reached the Entrance Doors, and had stopped at the top of the front steps.

"_What is it?_" Ichigo asked softly.

The red-head shook his head for a second, then changed his mind.

"_It's just- I- I'm so used to seeing her standing by my side, always proud and strong, and tall._" He gave a choked chuckle at that last adjective. But Ichigo couldn't have thought of any other way to describe their diminutive friend: despite her small height, she was still intimidating because of her mental strength, her loyalty, her determination. "_And now- now, she's just lying there, unconscious, and-_" He paused, glazed eyes sweeping unseeingly over the grounds. "_I think I just realized how close I had come to losing her." _He whispered.

Ichigo said nothing, knowing there was more to be said. Renji wrapped his arms around his torso in a vulnerable gesture the hybrid had never ever seen him do, and it disturbed him greatly to see his ever so strong, goofy friend like that, so desperate, so... _scared._

"_I don't know what I would do if I lost her. I don't- I don't think I could live without her._" He turned to face Ichigo. "_She's my life, Ichigo. I never truly noticed until yesterday, but- she's everything I have. If she died... I think I'd have no choice but to follow her._"

They fell silent for a moment. After a while, Ichigo handed his friend a cigarette, and took one himself.

"_Here._" He said.

The lieutenant took the cancer stick and stuck it in his mouth, starting ever so slightly as Ichigo snapped his fingers right under his nose, conjuring a flame, and lit up his cigarette, before doing the same with his own. They took a long drag out of their cigarettes, enjoying the warmth contrasting with the outer winter chill, completely unaware of the eyes watching them as they stood in companionable silence.

"_Won't the Captain-Commander miss you?_" Ichigo asked after a while.

"_Don't know, don't care._"

The hybrid sighed at that, but said nothing. He understood his friend's need to be by his love's side, and would do everything he could to get him permission to stay for as long as necessary. Renji had finished his cigarette, and threw it at his feet before crushing the smoking butt.

"_Thanks, man. I needed that._"

"_I know._"

A pause.

"_You know that if Rukia were here, she would tell you not to damage your lungs with those things, right?_" He said as Ichigo took a long drag out of his cigarette.

The younger man shrugged and glanced at him.

"_You took one too._"

"_Yeah, but I'm dead and you're not._" The red-head said with a grin.

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"_It would be quite amusing, don't you think? The head of the powerful Shihouin Clan, who's been actively fighting in a war for the past seven years and cheated death more times than can be counted, dies of lung cancer. Pathetic._"

The sixth lieutenant laughed loudly, his head thrown back in mirth, and the young captain couldn't help but grin at his friend's amusement. It had been a long time since the last time they had seen each other, he realized, almost four months already, and Rukia's wound had really been hard on the usually boisterous red-head.

"_Your division members would never forgive you. I can already see that little devil Hiyori stomping on your corpse out of pure rage, with tears all over._"

"_Stop holding me back, he deserves it, _boke!" Ichigo mimicked in a high-pitched voice.

Renji laughed even more.

"_Poor Shinji. He'll never make it out of your funeral alive._"

"_I'm afraid most of my division wouldn't make it out alive. Imagine the havoc Mashiro, Yachiru, Kenpachi and Nel could do all by themselves!_" He shivered.

The read-head grimaced.

"_Sweet Eternity, it's not only your funeral, the entire Seireitei would be screwed if you died..._"

The atmosphere suddenly felt heavier, and they fell silent for a while, before Ichigo spoke again.

"_Don't worry, Renji, I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Not before I kill that son of a bitch, anyway._"

"_Aizen..._" Renji murmured._ "Did you ever wonder why he did it? I mean, he must have had a reason... other than power._"

Ichigo gazed absently over the school grounds, thinking about the question. He couldn't help but agree with Renji, and yet... could one man really decide to inflict so much suffering and still believe he was doing the right thing? _Did he_ believe he was doing the right thing? He shook his head.

"_Who knows? We never really talked, you know. When we come face to face, we just fight, but-_" he paused, his eyes distant. "_It's true that whenever our blades touched, the only thing I could feel from Kyôka Suigetsu was a terrible loneliness._"

Renji glanced at him.

"_Loneliness? Why the hell would he feel lonely?_"

"_Think about it, Renji. How old is he? Two, three hundred years old? More? He had a unique ability, power above anyone else, even the Captain-Commander would have trouble fighting against him, and thus he found himself alone. Because nobody could understand what it was to wield such might, and if he had revealed it, people would be afraid of him. In the end, he became bitter, because people fear what they don't understand. When you think about it, the same happened here in England. The Dark Lord Potter just defeated... he was brilliant and extremely powerful, but he had such a horrible childhood and was subjected to such prejudices that he felt the only way to compensate was to become something greater than anyone would have expected him to be. And so he achieved his goals. He became known and feared and _recognized_ across the whole __Wizarding World. Everybody knows about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lord Voldemort. They know his cruelty and his crimes, they know his ideals and power, but what they don't know-_" He trailed off.

Renji nodded in understanding.

"_Power is a blessing and a curse at the same time, isn't it?_"He whispered. "_Do you- sometimes, do you... feel lonely?_"

Ichigo glanced at him, then looked away.

"_Sometimes..._" he whispered. "_But then again, I have what Aizen didn't have. Friends._" And as he turned to look at Renji, there was a small but genuine smile playing on his lips, and the lieutenant smiled back and nodded.

"_Come on_," Ichigo said at last, "_let's go see Rukia and transfer her to the infirmary._"

o-O-o

"Sit down, sit down all of you. Does everybody have a seat? Very good. I hereby declare the 190th meeting of the Order of the Phoenix open."

The wizards looked at him interestedly.

"What is it, Albus?" Moody grunted.

"We have new information about our estimated Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, thanks to our very own Slytherin trio." He nodded at Draco, Blaise and Théodore, who inclined their heads in answer.

"Yeah? So, what is it?"

The three looked at each other, then seemed to decide that Draco would be the one talking.

"After dinner, we wanted to get some fresh air, when we came across the red-headed weirdo and Kurosaki."

"Professor Kurosaki." Dumbledore corrected gently.

"Yes, Professor Kurosaki, whatever." Draco said flippantly. "Anyway, they were standing on the top front step, and having a smoke, and talking. In Japanese, of course, but since we all cast the translator spell, we could understand them, and so, we decided to try and see what they were saying. It was quite interesting, actually. We heard names, and a very... intriguing fact." He paused. "I think it would be better if I showed you the memory."

He rose his wand to his temple and extracted a silver filament from his head, before waving his wand in the air and muttering an incantation. A giant screen appeared above the headmaster's desk, and he muttered something else, only for them to find themselves standing in the Entrance Hall. They moved outside so they were standing by the two Japanese men's side, and watched as the memory started playing. They watched as the two men talked quietly, their faces serious, and gasped when the red-head admitted to being dead, and again when Ichigo said their enemy, Aizen, was at least two or three centuries old. They watched as amusement overcame sadness when they talked about Ichigo's division members and what would happen were he to die, watched as a feeling they couldn't even name crossed his awesome features and darkened his eyes as he spoke about his enemy's loneliness and power.

And when they finally exited the memory, they just remained silent for a while, before Hermione took out a quill and piece of parchment.

"Okay." She muttered. "So, we know that:

**1-** the leader of the opposite faction is named Aizen. Most likely a surname, as Japanese people only use given names when extremely intimate.

**2- **Aizen is, according to them, at least two or three hundred years old, and possesses power defying imagination.

**3- **Abarai Renji, lieutenant of the sixth division, claims to be already dead. Question are: is it true? If it is, are Kurosaki Ichigo, Kuchiki Byakuya and his sister Rukia also dead, and how is it possible for them to be here with us?

**4- **Professor Kurosaki spoke of 'crossing blades', and feeling loneliness in the blade of his enemy. We can therefore deduct that they fight with swords. What about the feeling? A special ability of his? Is that common in Japan? How can you feel something from a blade of all things?

**5-** Professor Kurosaki most likely is amongst the most powerful of his organization..."

"How do you know that?" Ron interrupted, effectively breaking the daze the young witch's brilliant deductions had put everyone in.

"Because, Ronald, when they talked about this Aizen's loneliness, Professor Kurosaki said it was mostly due to his unbelievable level of power. And right after that, Abarai-san asked him if he felt lonely. I think that's self-explanatory." She said, annoyed.

"Abarai-_san_?" The red-head repeated, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, honestly, Ronald! We have a Japanese teacher, you could at least research some of his culture! _San_ is a mark of respect you use when you aren't familiar with the person! _Sama_ would mean that you acknowledge the person's superiority, while _chan_ is an endearment for a girl younger than you. It's _kun_ for boys." She snapped. "Now, can I continue, or do you have any more stupid questions?"

The boy reddened and slumped back on his chair, glaring at the smirking Slytherins, but said nothing, merely crossing his arms over his chest. Hermione shook her head and went back to her paper.

"So, as I was saying:

**6-** Mention of something called 'Seireitei', most likely a place? Exact translation is: 'Court of Pure Souls'.

**7-** Mention of the Shihouin Clan, whose head Professor Kurosaki apparently is."

She stopped, thoughtfully tapping her quill on the parchment, before she looked up.

"That's pretty much everything I noticed. And it's a lot of questions the answers to which we don't know." She frowned. "I don't like this. I've got the feeling that this Japanese war is hidden for a reason, and it actually goes far over our heads."

A pause. Dumbledore nodded.

"I fear Ms Granger is right. Kingsley, did you research the Shihouin Clan?"

The black man nodded and took out a folder from his robes.

"Yes. They are the oldest Wizarding family in the world, known for their power, be it magical, political or economical. They have investments in all sorts of companies, be it in the muggle or magical world, and they are very respected everywhere I could think of asking about them. The current head is Shihouin Azrael, or as we best know him, Kurosaki Ichigo, though I couldn't find a connection between the two anywhere. I had to believe what I heard the day of the Hogsmeade attack for that information." He paused, leafing through the sheets of paper in the folder. "Despite their power, the Shihouin Clan lay low: they don't take important political seats."

"How do they get so much power, then?" Tonks piped up with a frown.

"If they work as I think they do," Sirius said, "then they leave the political dancing to their affiliates. The Clan Head only gives them orders from afar. His name is never involved, but he is the one truly ruling the country."

"That's very Mafia-like." Blaise commented.

"Well, they _are_ involved in the Underground." Kingsley said. "There are no proofs, of course, but it is obvious that a clan of that importance could only be tied to the _Yakuzas_. I also noticed something quite interesting. The Shihouin Clan is tightly linked to the Kuchiki Clan, another very powerful family, though those don't birth wizards. Current leader: Kuchiki Byakuya."

"Wait, you don't mean...?" Blaise said.

Kingsley nodded.

"Byakuya Kuchiki isn't a wizard. He doesn't have a single drop of wizarding blood, in fact."

"A muggle?" Ginny exclaimed, looking surprised.

"But Kurosaki introduced him as a Spirit Mage!" McGonagall cried out.

They looked at each other, at a loss.

"I think that's where we should look." Dumbledore said. "He said a 'Spirit Mage'. Does that mean a wizard? Obviously not, since no Kuchiki is a wizard." He turned to look at Harry and Draco. "Harry, Draco, your Defense project deals with The Ways of the Mage, doesn't it? Did you per chance come across information relevant to our case?"

The boys looked at each other and shrugged.

"We haven't finished yet, but if we see anything, we'll tell you, of course."

"I think you should look into the spiritual aspect of Japanese culture." Hermione said suddenly.

Everybody stared at her, except, of course, for the adult Slytherins, who had already understood where she was going with that.

"Well, lieutenant Abarai _did_ say that he was dead, and the place they talked about, _Seireitei_, it means 'Court of Pure Souls', doesn't it? If Abarai is dead, then the most logical explanation is that what we see is his soul, since the body must be rotten. And the soul leaves the body once it dies."

"A very well thought out explanation, Ms Granger, congratulations." Dumbledore said, as McGonagall looked at her in approval. The Gryffindor prefect blushed at the praise.

"What would we do without you, 'Mione?" Ron said with admiration, while Harry chuckled.

"So, we'd be dealing with a war between souls?" Sirius said after a while.

"Let's not presume about the Japanese war, Sirius." Dumbledore said. "However, if it is indeed the case, then I am afraid we should get ready to fight another war."

An appalled silence fell upon the gathered wizards and witches as they considered the possibility of another war, a war against beings not even human. The Potions Master broke it by clearing his throat.

"Another matter we have to address is that if Lord Kuchiki is indeed a Muggle, his lieutenant and sister most likely are too. The question is: how can they see Hogwarts and Hogsmeade as they are despite the Muggle-repelling enchantments?"

"Maybe it has something..."

"...to do with..."

"...their being..."

"...spirits..." The twins suggested.

"Maybe." The headmaster agreed. "But for now, all we can do is wait and see. I told our youngest staff member that we had an Order of the Phoenix meeting at 8 pm, he should arrive any minute now."

He sat back down, and they waited patiently. It was only 7:30 pm, and so they still had half an hour to go. But five minutes later, Dumbledore looked up suddenly, eyes twinkling full force, and beamed before casting a spell. Instantly, another screen appeared, and they saw a bedroom, with the unconscious body of the wounded girl tucked in. She was wrapped in bandages up to her neck, and Abarai was bent over her, gently rubbing healing salves on her bruised face, while Byakuya and Ichigo were seated in a comfortable armchair by the bed.

"Ulquiorra did that?" The Defense teacher said, and they were surprised to see that the sound was just as if they were in the same room. They all looked at each other in awe, while the headmaster's smile widened smugly, before going back to the screen.

"Yes. He used _Segunda Etapa_. She didn't stand a chance. Heck, even _you_ had trouble with that the first time!" Renji answered.

"Why weren't there any captains sent to help?" The hybrid asked again. "Byakuya?"

The dark-haired man sighed.

"We were warned too late. For some reason, we only heard of the attack when it was already half over, and by then, Rukia was already in a very bad shape. She was the higher-ranked officer there. All of the others were slaughtered like cattle."

"I ordered my division to always have a pair patrolling the World of the Living." Ichigo growled.

Silver eyes looked up and stared coldly at him.

"They were called back. We needed them. There was an attack on Seireitei yesterday morning, and we needed reinforcements. You know that your men are pretty much all captain-level. We could not afford to let them wander around aimlessly in the World of the Living."

The young man ran a hand through his hair, then stood up and went to stand by the window, looking out on the grounds.

"What did they want?" He wondered out loud, softly. "Destroying my house was pointless, they knew I would most likely not be there."

He turned around.

"The theory is-" The noble hesitated. "According to Urahara, they might not have been after you. Not directly, at least." He paused. "They might have been after your sisters."

Silence. The three men looked at each other as the watching Order members looked on in fascination. Theo and Blaise shared alarmed looks at the last sentence.

"Karin and Yuzu..."

"Yes. He knows they are your only weakness, Azrael, and he decided that if he abducted them, then blackmail would be easy. You would have arrived too late to prevent their kidnapping. It was a good plan."

"Except that I foresaw it." The DADA teacher whispered, looking pale. "I took them out of the country beforehand."

They fell quiet for a second.

"He's not going to to go after them." Ichigo said. "Too much effort for something he isn't sure could work."

Renji did a double-take at those words.

"You don't mean-"

Their eyes met.

"Yes."

Brown eyes hardened.

"You would abandon... your own... _sisters_?" The red-head said incredulously.

A pause. And then a single word, harsh and metallic.

"Yes."

Renji stared at him in utter disbelief and astonishment.

"No way in hell..." he whispered. "You're stark raving mad, man! Who are you? 'Cause you sure as hell ain't my friend! I remember Kurosaki Ichigo, he would have done _anything_ to protect his family! And now you say you'd abandon them to Aizen? The Espadas? _Hollows_? Are you _crazy_? I can't believe you! What-!"

He didn't have time to finish his rant, as suddenly, he was clutching at his throat and pinned to the wall by an invisible force.

"What do you want me to say?" Ichigo said in a low voice that was far more terrifying than if he had been yelling. His tone was one of perfect self-control and mastery, of seething anger under a perfectly calm surface, of fury beyond anything they had ever seen before. And if it was given a chance to release, that temper would wreck disaster everywhere it could pass.

"That if they were captured and used against me, I would obey each and every command Aizen would issue of me? Fine! I will! If they're captured, I will change sides, and join the man who wants to take over the throne! I will help him, be his second, fight for him and guard his back! Is that what you want to hear! Then listen to the consequences as well! Do you know why you haven't lost the war yet? Do you?" He looked up, and suddenly, they saw that both his eyes were a terrifying golden, while his sclera had bled black.

"You're all still alive thanks to me! It's thanks to me that Aizen hasn't already slaughtered you all! It's thanks to me that the assault on the 89th District was fended off! It's thanks to me that Rukia's still alive! Thanks to me Karakura is still mostly intact! Thanks to me the _Ouken_ hasn't been created yet! Do you want me on the other side? Because if I _do_ change sides, then the instant I step into Las Noches, you're all done for. _Goners_." He spat the last word as he let go of the red-head, who slid down the wall helplessly.

Byakuya hadn't made a move to help him at any time, and merely looked at him coldly.

"The day you learn to think before blurting out whatever you feel will be worth a party, Abarai." He said scornfully.

The tattooed man just shakily stood and made his way out, leaving the two nobles together. Ichigo fell back on his chair, and leaned his head on his hand, hiding his eyes with his fingers. Byakuya studied him silently for a moment, then walked closer and gently tilted his chin up and towards him.

"You are exhausted." He said gently.

Ichigo shrugged and looked away.

"I've been worse."

Silence.

"Look, about earlier today..."

"It's okay. I understand completely. I didn't really expect much anyway, and it wasn't in my intentions to embarrass you. Forgive me."

The young man was now sitting very stiffly; his eyes sported an odd glint. Byakuya stared him in the eye for a while more, seemingly looking for something, then let go of his chin and straightened up. He stepped back slowly, turned around, his back to Ichigo, the fifth captain's mismatched eyes never leaving his proud silhouette. Slowly, he walked over to the window, and stood there in the very same position the younger captain had been in a few minutes prior.

"I owe you a lot, Azrael. You saved my sister's life countless times, and mine as well. Saved Abarai, saved Seireitei, protected our interests over yours. Sacrificed your life. I do not wish to be the one who would refuse something to you out of a petty concern..."

Ichigo stood up abruptly, eyes blazing with a cold fury as Byakuya turned around. Surprise flashed across the noble's features as he took in the look on the other's face, before being replaced with appalled understanding. He opened his mouth, but was cut off.

"How dare you..." It was a low murmur, but it was enough. Ichigo scooped Rukia's slim body up in his arms, and headed to the door. "Your sister will be fine, _Kuchiki-taichou_." He added coldly. "You can go back to the Soul Society without concern for her health. Goodbye."

And without another word, he left. The Order members watched him walk through the corridors at an agitated pace, his face dark and his eyes hard, as he gritted his teeth. It was obvious whatever their quarrel had been about, was a very sensitive topic for the man, as he had evidently felt deeply insulted by the Kuchiki Lord's suggestion. They watched as he reached the infirmary, spoke to Madam Pomfrey and left his burden on a clean white bed, gently tucking her between the immaculate sheets, brushing her forehead affectionately with his thumb.

"I wish you were here" he murmured, "without you, everything's going downhill. It's like the world is spinning in the wrong direction. I hope you come back to us soon." He straightened up. "Sleep well, midget."

Dumbledore cut off the spell as the DADA teacher started making his way over to his office, and looked at the Order members, who could only look at each other in awe, amazed that the dark man could actually prove to be so gentle and caring to someone who wasn't even awake, right after having almost killed one of his allies, and had a fight with another.

The students, especially, were sharing bewildered glances, but it all stopped when there was sharp knock at the door. A quick look at the clock confirmed that it was 8:00 pm sharp. Kurosaki stepped in, his features schooled back into their usual expressionless mask, eyes cold and hard, not a hair out of place.

"Right on time, my dear boy!" Dumbledore exclaimed cheerfully. "Take a seat, take a seat! Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you." He said as he quickly conjured a comfortable armchair and sat down by the door. "What was it that you wanted to discuss, Headmaster?" He asked coolly, eyes darting right and left, noting all the people present and the fact that they had all gathered before him. It was obvious that there had been a 'private' meeting without him, and he barely held back a sneer. He wasn't in a good mood. He felt tired, betrayed, angry, and all in all, very much alone. The only person he could have talked to was in a coma, and he had no idea when she would wake up. To think Byakuya had said such a thing, right after Renji's explosion... It hurt, more than he would care to admit, and he didn't plan on bothering with close-minded wizards, who had... His eyes widened as he caught the remaining traces of the last spell cast in the room.

He rose abruptly to his feet.

"My boy?"

He hated those twinkling eyes. How dared they? He couldn't even understand how it was possible that they would even _think_ about doing such a thing!

"You will excuse me, Headmaster, but for a bunch of Light Wizards, I find that you are all extremely ill-bred, voyeuristic, twisted and sick nosy bastards. Taking advantage of your position as Headmaster of this school to spy on me and my comrades and watch a very private discussion..." He breathed in deeply, golden eye glowing eerily as Shiro bellowed in fury in his mind. God, he thought, his mindscape would be a mess after that. "I will not stay one minute longer in your presence. As you now know, I just had a fight with two friends, and do not feel in the right mood to deal with your band of frying chickens. I have tolerated a lot from you since my arrival here, but I am getting tired of your pathetic narrow-mindedness." He spat.

And without another word, he turned on his heels and stalked out of the room.

o-O-o

He seethed as he stalked down the hallways, his magic crackling around him as he couldn't hold his rage in. Too much was too much, and he didn't even see the awed gazes the students directed at him as he swept by them, magic the dark crimson of blood hugging his body and pulsing fiercely with each step he took. He didn't see the people he walked past, the corridors he took, the way he was going. He only knew he needed a fight, a huge fight, and that he wouldn't be able to get that in the Room of Requirement. He needed a place where he would be able to let all of his rage lose, a place where he could fight to at least half his maximum capacity. He needed a blood-thirsty opponent, someone equally as fierce in a fight, someone who would give him a true release, maybe even a challenge.

He never noticed the two former Slytherins as they turned around and followed him when their calls went unheard. He just dove under the thick shadows of the Forbidden Forest, and was quick to reach the same clearing where he had last fought Shiro, guided by the Hollow's instincts.

Coming to a sharp stop at the very center of the meadow, he stood there, shrugged off his outer robes and dropped them casually to the floor, before quickly erecting protective charms so as not to damage anything. And then, after a second of perfect immobility, he started moving. Conjuring animated opponents who would match his level of skill and ferocity, he went all out against them, knowing that nobody would feel his reiatsu since he had become a master at hiding it. He kicked, slashed, ducked and parried, never once using his blades, for he felt he needed a physical release, he needed to get rid of the pressure crushing him ever since the news about Rukia had come, not even before that.

The war, the years of restless fights and life, the years of grieving battles and merciless assaults, the months and years of pain and strife, the efforts to get stronger even though he was already more powerful than any of his comrades or enemies, but for some reason, it wasn't enough, it was _never_ enough.

And he kicked, and he slashed, and he ducked, jumped, punched, parried, didn't care about whatever pain the conjured opponents could inflict to him, because he had instant regeneration, thanks to Shiro, and he wanted to be so exhausted he wouldn't be able to regenerate himself as quickly as he used to. It would be the signal that he needed to stop, but not that he _wanted_ to.

That would only happen when he was so exhausted he would collapse and feel completely hollow, and maybe cry his heart out, though he knew for a fact it had been thirteen years since the last time he allowed himself to shed a tear, excluding his breakdown during Byakuya's first visit at Hogwarts, and he didn't plan on repeating that anytime soon. He was strong, he _had_ to be strong. Because without him, they were nothing, loath as they were to admit it, and without him, they would have crumbled and died a long time ago.

So many people depended on him, relied on him and on his strength, believed that he would be their savior, that he would be the one to kill Aizen and destroy the enemy, end the war and bring back peace, but in the end, he was only human. A human hybrid, part living, part dead, par Shinigami, par Hollow, part Wizard. He was a lot of things, and in the end, it was very tiring. He was sick and tired of being their hero.

And he briefly wondered if that was how Potter had felt before he defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort, though the situation would have been quite different for him, Ichigo could only imagine: he suffered a lot of slander from the press in his fifth year, and then was hailed as the Chosen One once more, when the Dark Lord's return had been proven. But then again, their war hadn't really had as much importance as the Winter War had. Shihouin Azrael had on his shoulders the burden of not one country as Potter had had, but of three entire worlds. If Aizen won, the balance would collapse, and with it Hueco Mundo, Soul Society and the World of the Living.

At fifteen, he had been burdened with that knowledge, and he lived with it ever since, without anyone to talk to and really understand him. He was a noble, and a hero, and a warrior, and an assassin, and a lot of things, but he was, first and foremost, only one man, and _tired_...

So tired...

Ichigo closed his eyes.

o-O-o

They watched with wide eyes as he moved, feeling only utter disbelief and awe to see the kind boy they had known had become such a powerful warrior. He hadn't used an ounce of magic, and yet, the destruction he had caused left no doubt as to his lethality.

"_Ichigo..._"

The two wizards started as the man appeared out of nowhere, clad in a black kimono and a white haori on the back of which a black six clearly stood out. A strange, silver device held his hair in place and changed into soft filaments which mixed with the silky black waves at the back of his head, and he had a long katana sheathed at his hip, the handle of which was a pale shade of blue. Their protégé was up so quickly the move was but a blur to their human eyes, and suddenly, he stood at the opposite end of the clearing.

The two men looked at each other silently.

"_Your reiatsu will attract Hollows._" The younger man said finally, in an ice-cold voice.

"_I have the limiter on._"

Ichigo shrugged, looking away, his eyes swirling with something they couldn't understand.

"_What do you want?_"

The other man observed him carefully.

"_What has you so upset?_"

Cold mismatched eyes turned to him, but after a few minutes of silent contemplation, the young man decided to answer.

"_I had a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix earlier. It was quite obvious to me that they had given me a time when they would be sure to have been able to discuss things without my suspicious presence beforehand. But that is not the point. When I entered the room, I could feel the remnants of a spying spell everywhere._" He paused. "_They had just watched the entire conversation we had in Rukia's room._"

Something shifted in the air, just before pure, unadulterated power exploded very briefly around the noble's feet, swirling furiously around his ankles, before he reigned his temper in. The two wizards, who the revelation had left gaping in indignation and disbelief, shivered as the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"_How dare they!_" The man seethed. "_To invade privacy like that!_"

Ichigo chuckled weakly.

"_Yes, that is more or less what I told them._" He paused. "_What do you want?_"

Byakuya stiffened instantly, and Ichigo tensed in answer.

"_About earlier, I had no intentions of insulting you._"

Very slowly, the fifth captain turned his head to look at him. His eyes were cold.

"_You did. By merely _suggesting_ that I would do such a thing... By implying that I would _accept_ such a thing, you insulted my integrity, my honor, my morals. You dealt a blow to my family and clan, to my name, to my principles, to everything I believe in._" He took a step closer. "_But that is not what upset me the most. Because the mere fact that you, Kuchiki Byakuya, could have even thought of suggesting such a thing, let alone say it to my face, obviously thinking me capable of such a thing... There lies the true insult._" He rose a hand over his heart. "_The real insult does not lie in my pride or name, Byakuya, but in our friendship. Obviously, I was mistaken about the depth of our comradeship._"

He started to turn on his heels, but suddenly, Byakuya was in front of him, cupping his face gently between his palms, and Severus and Lucius got the very strong feeling that they were about to see something incredible, a life-changing event that would completely upturn the lives of those involved -the Shihouin and Kuchiki Clan Heads.

With a shared glance, the two long time friends turned on their heels and left unnoticed.

o-O-o

_Too close_.

That was the only thing he could think as he felt the soft skin of Byakuya's hands press gently against his hollowed cheeks, thumbs brushing ever so softly over his cheekbones, tracing the sharp lines of his face, never faltering as he could see his scar, the red Hollow line, the mismatched eyes that were a perfect proof of his true nature. The noble's eyes were a deep, swirling pool of pure silver, and he could only struggle with himself not to drown himself in that ocean of magnificence.

The calloused palms retained a strange softness centuries of wielding should have completely erased, but for one reason or another, that unexplainable paradox burnt his skin in a way no amount of fire had ever before. And why, why was his gaze so intense, so- soft?

"_Ichigo..._"

It was only a whisper, and he could feel his breath on his lips, and he couldn't hold back a shiver. Of delight, trepidation, fear, he wouldn't have known. He had no idea. For a second, he allowed himself to lean into the touch, close his eyes, enjoy the closeness, the sheer intimacy of their position. He felt good, better than he had in a very long time, since his mother's death, perhaps, and right here and there, he felt safe and protected, warm, at ease.

But the real world was still out there, and he forced himself to come back, straighten up, school his features into a cold expression and step back, out of the man's embrace.

"_Do not toy with me._"

Warm silver eyes studied him, before suddenly, something happened. Something which Ichigo had never seen, ever, though he would have loved it. He had, of course, caught Byakuya off guard a few times, but never had the older man done such a thing of his own volition. And now... the mask fell. And it was only Byakuya there, no Kuchiki, no Clan leader, Shinigami captain and Seireitei warrior, but Byakuya, the man. And he couldn't help but stare.

"_I am not. What I said earlier was stupid. We didn't have a chance to properly talk at lunch time. What I wanted to say, was that I had refrained from entering a relationship ever since Hisana's death, yes. But my conclusion wasn't that I didn't reciprocate your feelings._" He paused. "_I have come, over the years we have known each other, fought against each other and then side by side, to see you as the man of heart you are. Respect and esteem, over the years, grew into something more, and I found myself, in your classroom, trying to explain to you that I most likely wouldn't be very expressive or romantic, because except for Hisana... I have spent a century and a half in celibacy, Azrael. Were you to accept me anyway, there will most likely be a lot of times when you find yourself disappointed by my lack of..._" He trailed off, not really knowing the appropriate term. A step away, Ichigo was staring at him intently, clearly entranced but hesitant.

"_In Rukia's room, I-I think it was a very clumsy attempt on my part to tell you that I would not be adverse to-_" he breathed in deeply "_starting a relationship with you._"

Silence. Utter, unbreakable silence.

And then, slowly, hesitantly, almost timidly, Ichigo stepped closer to him, eyes never leaving his own steady gaze, searching for the smallest hint of insincerity or repulsion, but he seemed to not find it, for suddenly, he was standing only inches away from him, their chests almost touching, their faces barely apart. Calloused hands rose to cup pale cheeks, mismatched eyes diving shamelessly into molten silver, and then, he leaned forward, ever so slowly, giving him all the time he wanted to pull away and leave and put a stop to all of this.

Byakuya didn't. He gently leaned forward, and captured the offered lips with his own. He could hear the sharp hitch in Ichigo's breathing, the surprise in the brief tensing of the fingers on his face, his badly-concealed hope, and then, as the kiss deepened and intensified, the bubbling happiness he hadn't felt in years under the surface, menacing to get through.

And it was just perfect.

* * *

><p><strong>Woho! I so love this chapter, it's one of -if not my favorite. <strong>


	16. Not One Of Us

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi everyone, and thank you for your reviews! Here's chapter 16, enjoy! To those who also follow <em>Shadow Child<em>, I'm trying. Believe me, I am. But this story just doesn't want me to write it, and it's really, really hard to find the inspiration for chapter 4. **

**Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to _Roith and Lorette_, who really made me smile! Thank you!**

**And now, on with the story!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 16:<span>

When Ichigo and Byakuya walked into the Great Hall the next morning for breakfast, everybody could tell something had changed. They were conversing quietly in Japanese, heads tilted towards each other and though their demeanor hadn't changed any, the air around them felt somehow lighter, as if something had been worked out that had been weighing them down before. And they were together: they hadn't come to breakfast at different times, contrarily to usual. However, the few students who went to the infirmary could tell that the wounded girl hadn't woken up, and so they were left to wonder what could have happened that put the Professor in such a good mood, for in a good mood he was: his tone seemed lighter all day, and he looked a little less world-weary than he had the days before.

Only Severus was pretty sure he knew what had happened in the clearing the night before, but he wasn't about to tell anyone about that. It was all Ichigo and Byakuya's privacy, and as a man of secrets, he understand that having people dig in one's past was far from pleasant. And for cautioning the Order of the Phoenix's first investigation, he would never forgive himself. First because it was a betrayal of his very own principles, but also and most importantly, because it was a betrayal of the trust his friend and protégé had placed in him. And so he said nothing, but merely nodded at the pair and kept on eating his meal.

The russet-colored falcon, Ares, landed on the table between the two men, and, seeing the Kuchiki Clan Head's uninterested glance, turned towards Ichigo, who petted his head gently with the back of his fingers and relieved him of the package he had tied to his leg, before feeding him some bacon and water. The bird gently nipped on his fingers, before settling down on his lap without any qualms, as if he had sensed the good mood of his master. The young teacher merely petted his back gently while opening the parcel and the letter with it, which he quickly read, before taking a device from the package and handing it to his neighbor.

"_This is for you._"

Byakuya rose an eyebrow as he took the Soul Pager.

"_You are expected to stay here until further notice. _Someone_ apparently notified the Captain-Commander that my teaching duties, added to the paperwork of the division and Shihouin clan would be a heavy burden, and you are therefore to take over the-_" he glanced at Severus "_-the hunt in my stead so I can deal with everything else and you don't rust._"

"_What about Abarai?_"

Ichigo smirked darkly.

"_He is to report at the First Division barracks at eight tonight. He will lead the Sixth Division in your absence._"

The dark-haired noble nodded, while his companion conjured parchment and a quill and started to write back. Once he was finished, he tied the missive to Ares' leg and sent the bird on his way.

"_I arranged for the paperwork to be sent every day so that we can deal with it more easily._"

They ate in silence, until Ichigo pushed back his plate and leaned back against the back of his chair.

"_So, what are your plans for today?_"

"_I will most likely go down to the village -Hogsmeade, was it? To get some of that beverage, Firewhiskey. The packs you sent me are already almost empty._"

The younger man started and stared.

"_You drank all of them?_"

"_Of course not._" Byakuya deadpanned, sniffing disdainfully. "_Abarai, however, decided to taste the bottle I had in my office, then got it to Matsumoto, and the next thing I know, my stocks were rivaling the Dead Sea._"

"_Goodness gracious, they actually stole your Firewhiskey?_" Ichigo asked, appalled. "_I will make sure it can not be touched by any other than you, then._"

The Sixth Captain smirked.

"_Thank you for the offer. I will on top of that lock them down in the very bottom of the __mansion's basement._"

Ichigo smiled.

"_I'd like to be a fly on the wall to see their faces when they come and can't get past._"

Both men chuckled eerily. Byakuya was finished, and they rose.

"_What else?_"

"_Well, I guess I will patrol the country in search for Hollows. I reckon you didn't get the time to do that, and since I for once have too much time on my hands, then I will do that. This way, you can concentrate on the wizarding problem while I take care of any Hollows in the area. And when your problem is dealt with, then we can focus on the war._"

"_Thanks._"

Byakuya merely nodded, then turned to Ichigo as they reached the Defense classroom, students already waiting out the door, watching them.

"_I will see you later then._"

"_Yes. Enjoy your day._"

And so went the day. Nothing noticeable happened, except that Lord Kuchiki wasn't seen, and neither was his lieutenant until right before dinner.

o-O-o

"Hey, guys!"

The group turned to Karin, who was walking towards them, followed closely by Yuzu. They smiled at the petite blonde who smiled back, while Karin walked up to Blaise and pecked him on the cheek with her usual bluntness, making the boy grin like a loon. Draco rolled his eyes, and saw Harry's lips quirk at the gesture from where he was standing a few feet away. It was the end of classes for the day and still the middle of the afternoon, so they had two hours before dinner. The messy-haired teen seemed to hesitate, then headed over to them, ignoring Weasley's obvious protests and Granger's approving look.

"Hey Malfoy." Harry greeted. "Zabini, Parkinson, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle."

"Potter, Granger, Weasley." Was the general answer. He smiled.

"Hey, Karin, Yuzu."

"Hi, Harry." They said in unison.

The two groups stood there for a minute, unsure of what to say. Kurosaki's methods might have worked in tuning down a notch the rivalry, but now that they weren't 'enemies' anymore, they didn't really know how to talk to each other.

"What about a walk outside?" Granger finally suggested.

Had Draco not been so grateful to her, he most likely would have shot her proposition down immediately, if only because of the freezing cold temperature. But Pansy did it for him.

"Oh no, it's so cold out there! Why don't we go the Common Room instead?"

"You can't go in ours and we can't go in yours," Harry pointed out, "so there would be a problem."

"What about the Come and Go Room, then?" Theo said. "It's neutral ground, isn't it?"

And so it was decided, and they all started their way up the stairs, keeping silent. But as they neared the corridor of the Seventh Floor where they knew the entrance to the room to be, they quickly hid in a deep alcove as they heard raised voices. Adult voices, and they didn't want to be caught by a teacher. Though they were not doing anything wrong, they had no wish for the rumor that the Golden Trio hung out with the Slytherins to fly around the castle. As of now, the truce was still too new and fragile for them to make public. And so they didn't move as they heard sharp footsteps coming their way.

"_But I don't want to go!_" Someone protested, whom they quickly identified as Abarai as he stopped a few feet away from their hideout.

"_That's none of my business, Renji, it's a direct order from the Captain-Commander himself._"

Professor Kurosaki stepped into view, his voice steady and his face composed.

"_But Rukia needs me, damn it!_"

"_No she doesn't. She's safe, okay? I made sure of that. She'll wake up when she's ready, and it'll do no good to have you wandering aimlessly around while she's in a coma._"

"_But-!_"

"_There are no buts, Renji. You have to go._" He turned to walk away, but right as he was about to leave their range of sight, the red-haired lieutenant lunged at him and rammed him into the wall, holding him by the throat, his blade pressed against the tender skin, right under the black choker. The expressionless mask never left his face, and his eyes betrayed no emotion but annoyance as he stared down at the man squeezing his trachea.

"_What are you doing, Renji?_" He asked tonelessly.

"_You think you're so much better than me, don't you Ichigo? Giving me orders? Expecting me to just obey you like another of your little lackeys without question? Well, let me tell you. You're not. You're not even really one of us._" The DADA teacher made to speak, but the other pressed his blade down, and a small rivulet of crimson ran down his collarbone and into his shirt. "_The truth is, they only made you a captain because they needed a pretext to have you ready to fight at all times. They needed an easier way to reach you, a way to give you orders, a way to control you. Haven't you noticed?_"

He leaned closer to Ichigo, his eyes mad. "_You're dangerous. That's all they know. Oh, you may be a valuable fighter, what with all your ideals of protection and loyalty and all that, but the truth is that they want to keep an eye on you. Take advantage while you're still usable, and once it's over or you prove to be too much of a wild card for them to use safely, get rid of you. Did you know that Kurotsuchi still can't wait to have you on his dissection table?_" The tip of his blade dug into the flesh of Ichigo's neck, drawing more blood. "_You're nothing, Kurosaki. Shihouin my ass. The only thing you are is a mindless killer! No wonder everyone around you always gets killed! That's why they should send you back, not me! If they leave Rukia here, something will happen to her._" He stepped back, his eyes cold and wild. "_I don't trust you, Kurosaki. Stay away from me._"

And with one last punch which sent Ichigo's head cracking into the hard stone wall, he turned on his heels. The man, however, wasn't finished. In a flash, he was standing before the retreating lieutenant, one hand over his chest. A single push was enough to send him crashing into the wall, alongside which he slid down, leaving a trail of blood where his skull had cracked against the stone. Apparently, the force applied by the captain was far greater than that of the lieutenant's blow.

Ichigo stepped closer, and halted right in front of the fallen man, barely a foot away from the students' hideout.

"_Now you're going to listen to me very attentively, Renji. I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I'm telling you now: I'm running out of patience. I can understand that almost losing Rukia rattled you, yes, but you weren't the only one. She's the one who gave me my powers, my best friend, my comrade, and very precious to me. But you don't see me venting my fear and rage on you, or Byakuya, or anyone in that castle! If you have trust issues, then it's sad, because I did trust you up to now. With my _life_. But that's two times you have attacked me now, and I tire of this._" He paused. "_For Heaven's sake, Renji, you're playing right into Aizen's hands! Fighting amongst ourselves will only weaken us, and that's precisely what he wants. Do you actually want to get his job done without him having to lift a finger? Then continue like that. But be careful, Renji._"

He leaned down, so that he was looking him in the eye. "_I will let you off with only a speech this time, but know that next time I won't be so tolerant. We are at war, Renji, and if you stand in the path of victory, friend or not, I will slay you and anyone else who dares stand in my way. I will destroy the bastard if it's the last thing I do, and to do that, I need a solid, unified army. If you're unable to set aside your stupid prejudices, then you can take that to the Captain-Commander. Unfortunately for you, I'm pretty sure I'm far more valuable to him than you will ever be. And that precisely because I'm not really _one of you._"_ He straightened up, scorn all over his face. "_And you know what? If that means being such a quick turncoat, I'd rather burn in Hell than become like you. Now leave. And report to the First Division Barracks at 8:00 pm sharp. Out of my sight._"

The lieutenant literally scrambled.

The Professor slid down the wall and to the ground and leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes.

"_You were quite harsh._"

A black cat lay down on the ground by the young teacher, who started absently petting it.

"_If even Renji starts doubting my loyalties, then who can I trust?_" He answered the voice.

"_I'm sure it's just the stress._" It answered, and suddenly, the students found themselves gaping, because at the same time it spoke, the cat's mouth _moved_! The cat was _talking_!

"_We can't afford to have breakdowns now, Yoruichi. Renji's amongst our toughest. He's a lieutenant, and has a lot of influence over the men. And if he starts speaking like that to those he knows, even if only when he's drunk..._"

The cat looked up.

"_You're not even worried about your reputation, are you?_"

Ichigo shrugged.

"_It doesn't matter. The problem lies in the fact that if they stop trusting me, then our chances to win decrease. And _that's_ problematic._"

"_Still, if there was to be a split, I'm pretty sure you'd have the advantage. Zaraki would follow you, along with Hitsugaya, Ukitake, Kyôraku, Byakuya -of course, Kira and Hisagi. That's Divisions 3, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 13, not counting your own. The 12__th__ barely knows how to fight, and tearing Kurotsuchi to pieces would make Ishida's day, while 7 will just follow whatever the Captain-Commander decides. That Komamura's still as stupid as ever. That leaves the Onmitsukidô, same as Fox-guy, along with- That's all._"

Ichigo merely sighed.

"_I don't want a civil war, Yoruichi. I'm fighting to _end_ this war, not start another. And for what? My status as one of theirs? I will _never_ be one of theirs!_"

"_You can't change what you are, Ichigo._"

"_I'm fine as I am. I have power, and that's all that matters. But fighting over my nature is pointless. Enough people have died in this war, we don't need a fratricide war on top of that._"

He sighed again. Karin and Yuzu looked at each other. Their brother looked, at this instant, so very old and tired it was a disturbing sight, one they should never have had to see on his twenty-two year old face. The cat climbed into his lap.

"_I will go back there and keep my eyes and ears open. If I see anything suspicious, I will deal with it accordingly and report to you, okay?_" The cat said soothingly.

"_Yeah. Thanks, Yoruichi. I don't know what I would do without you._"

The cat let himself be petted, purring softly, before it spoke again.

"_Where are the girls?_"

He shrugged, but it wasn't enough to hide the sudden tension in his shoulders.

"_I don't know. Out, I guess, or studying, or in their common rooms... How should I know?_"

"_When was the last time you spoke to them?_"

He closed his eyes wearily.

"_After the attack on Hogsmeade... two weeks? Maybe more? I don't know._"

The cat jumped on his lap and stood on his hind legs, forepaws against his chest as he gently licked the young man's chin. In the alcove, the kids watched transfixed as the tough DADA teacher sat there, looking disturbingly vulnerable as he was comforted by a talking _cat_ of all things.

"_What happened?_"

"_They were... upset I chose to fight the remaining Death Eaters -followers of the late Dark Lord. They said I was selfish to get involved in yet another war._" He ran a hand through his hair. "_What the hell could I do? Let the people be slaughtered and sit back as I left my power to rot when I had the means to rid the planet of some more nuisances?_" He asked irritably, to nobody in particular. "_It's not_ _like they could have hurt me!_"

The cat looked dumbfounded.

"_They called you an egoist?_"

"_Yeah._" He let his chin drop on his chest. "_I'm tired, Yoruichi. Everywhere I go, I have to fight. Muggles, Wizards, Espadas, Hollows, now my friends and even my own sisters... What am I supposed to do?_"

Silence. The cat's tail gently tapped the man's thigh.

"_They're just worried about you._"

"_Worried my ass._" He snorted. "_They've stopped worrying for me and started fearing me ever since _that_ incident._"

"_They don't fear you._"

"_Yes they do. Who wouldn't? Inoue did when she first saw me like that, and it wasn't even __my fully released form. I'm too powerful for them to handle and that's the end of it. They fear me because I'm too strong._" He laughed. "_How ironic is that? I fight to get stronger and save their asses, and they _fear_ me for it!_" And he laughed some more, a broken, hysterical kind of laugh which rose their hackles and the hair on their necks.

The cat just stood on his hind-legs again and licked his face vigorously, before settling back down on his lap. He didn't say anything. There wasn't anything he could say. And he had no idea what to say to comfort the young man anyway. Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and then, Byakuya appeared in the students' sighting range. He frowned as he saw the look on the younger captain's face, then at the cat.

"_Yoruichi_." He greeted coolly. "_What are you doing here?_"

"_Hi to you too, Byakuya-bo. I felt it was time I came and visited my nephew. It's been so long since I was last in the Wizarding World..._" She stretched her back and legs, purring when Ichigo absently petted her slick black fur.

There was a pause as the black-haired man rose an eyebrow, but said nothing and observed Ichigo's face carefully instead.

"_What is it?_" He asked softly.

The Fifth Division captain looked up, looking surprised, then back down.

"_It's nothing. Don't worry about me. I'm just tired._"

Byakuya scowled, and was about to push the issue, when Yoruichi spoke.

"_He just had a run-in with Abarai. The idiot told him all sorts of horrors and physically attacked him._"

Something flashed in the noble's eyes, while there was a short burst of reiatsu around his feet as he noticed the fresh blood on his lover's throat.

"_He dared?_"

His voice was sharp and cold, colder than ice, and the hidden students shivered at the tone. It was literally _lethal_. Ichigo gave a weary wave of his hand, dismissing the issue.

"_It's nothing, Byakuya, I can handle it. Don't worry about me._"

The cat and the noble shared a glance, their gaze icy, and nodded at each other. Byakuya stepped closer to his younger colleague, and gently took his arm, hoisting him up.

"_Come, you're completely exhausted. You need to rest._"

"_I'm fine..._"

"_No you're not._"

"_But-_"

Byakuya straightened up, towering over Ichigo, even though he wasn't that much taller.

"_Shihouin Azrael, you are going to bed right now, or I will make sure you are suspended from your duties and kept to bed rest under Captain Unohana's watch for a whole month!_" He stated firmly.

The DADA teacher opened wide eyes.

"_You wouldn't!_"

"_Oh yes I would. Now off to bed with you._"

And so the two men walked away, the younger one muttering about tyrannical nobles, and the cat following with a cat-esque smirk under his whiskers. Boy, she knew those two would get together one day, but never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought it would happen so soon. But they were good for each other, she thought, and in those uncertain times of war, grief and violence, they needed an anchor to keep them sane. And they were the best match anyone could have imagined.

o-O-o

Once they were sure the hallway was empty, the group of students quickly stood and made their way over to the Room of Requirement, where they found a comfortable room with a roaring fire, deep armchairs, a thick rug, tons of cushions and several mugs of hot chocolate. They settled down, and sipped their drink in silence for a while, before Theo finally looked at Yuzu questioningly.

"What was that all about?"

She lowered her eyes. Karin pursed her lips.

"It's about your fight after the Hogsmeade attack, wasn't it?" Harry asked quietly.

Yuzu nodded, looking ashamed.

"Why did you react like that?" Pansy's voice was soft as she spoke.

The youngest Kurosaki hesitated, but then, surprisingly enough, Karin spoke up, her eyes dark and determined, her skin pale and hands balled into fists.

"Because he's an idiot. Seriously! Getting involved in all sorts of conflicts he has no part in, endangering his life, running around training and protecting strangers even though he might get killed! I'm sick of this! It's been going on long enough, damn it! Seven years already, he was barely fifteen when the war broke out, and he became a major player in their battles! Renji's right, he's not even one of them. If anything, he should be siding with the enemy, but he _had_ to go and fight for the Seireitei... He's an idiot."

There was a pregnant pause as they all stared at her, dumbfounded by her sudden outburst. She usually kept to herself, but it seemed that she needed to talk about it to someone outside the family, and today was the day she chose to snap. They would learn a lot, and maybe even get key hints as to what was was being fought in Japan that nobody had ever heard about it. The Hogwarts students leaned forward ever so slightly, never even noticing they did it, staring intently at the girl, who was gazing at the fire unseeingly.

"He's a bloody idiot, that's what he is. The number of times he left and stayed away for days on end... we never knew if he was alive or not, and he always came back saying he was fine, but- we saw _them_." She lowered her voice as if about to talk of some forbidden secret. "The scars." she shivered. "So many of them- And so thick-" She closed her eyes and swallowed. "Even though he doesn't speak, the scars do. And the tales they tell... are worse than any horror movie you could ever come up with."

She paused. The silence was so heavy it was almost crushing them. What had Kurosaki Ichigo been through that his scars would shock his sisters so? Surely, they must be exaggerating, their brother couldn't have been so involved at the tender age of fifteen! And yet, seeing what he had become, what he looked like, what he was, they somehow found it as hard to doubt them as to believe them. And they understood that they would be stuck in the limbo of doubt until they saw the scars by themselves.

They didn't speak. Karin wasn't finished, they knew it. And speaking now would only shatter the instant.

"One day," Yuzu said, "we were at home when we were attacked. Ichi-nii is very well-known amongst the different factions involved in the war, you know, and they wanted to- I don't precisely know what they wanted. Kill us, capture us, so they could blackmail him into surrendering or stop fighting, I have no idea. But we almost died on that day. Dad did- did his best to protect us, but there were far too many of them for him to fend off, and in the end, he-" she swallowed thickly, screwing her eyes tightly shut for a second as the image of her father's battered body came back full force to her "he fell. There was blood, so much blood, blood everywhere. And they were all there, laughing and kicking him even when he was already unconscious, he had been stabbed so many times, but he tried to get up anyway..." Her eyes filled with tears at the thought.

"And then, just as they were turning to us, Ichi-nii came. It was- It was like seeing God. One minute we were done for, doomed to either captivity or death at the hands of our brother's enemies, and the next he was standing right between us and them, his clothes all torn and bloodied, and there were still open wounds on his body... I'll never forget what he looked like at that moment, he looked so... so strong despite all his obvious exhaustion and pain..." She closed her eyes briefly and whispered. "He had been in battle for three days without pause. Yet, he came to our help when he heard of the attack, and- And he killed them. He killed them all. Even though he had been fighting non-stop for three days and two nights already, they stood no chance faced to him. It was a _slaughter_. None were left alive, and I don't think there were enough part of them left to tell if they were male or female."

She shivered convulsively, and her hand found her twin's unconsciously, squeezing tight and taking comfort in the familiar touch. A lone tear ran down her cheek, and Karin took over.

"Then, when it was over, he just- turned to us and smiled, that infuriating 'everything will be fine' smile, and he asked if we were okay. He was bleeding from everywhere, there was a freaking _puddle_ of blood around his feet, his clothes were completely torn and he looked like a zombie, and yet, the only thing he could think of was our safety." She gave a choked bark of laughter. "And then, when we said we were alright, he collapsed." She looked down at the hand she had intertwined with Yuzu's. "He was in the infirmary for three weeks after that. Or at least he should have been. Once he could walk with a cane, he was out of there, and limping his way everywhere, saying he was completely fine and could go back to the battlefield any day. I think that's the only time I've ever seen Byakuya-sama willingly being used as a cane."

"How is that possible?" Hermione whispered, aghast.

Grey eyes shot up to her in confusion.

"How can there be such important damage that he wasn't fully healed after three weeks of bed rest?"

Karin pursed her lips.

"Our war is brutal. It defies your imagination. You think you went through hell with Voldemort, but the truth is that that was child's play compared to what _we_ have to fight. Every day, every night, we can get attacked, and lose our life. They're silent, they're merciless, they're numerous and well-organized. They use everything and anything, techniques you wouldn't fathom in your worst nightmares. Had Ichigo never got involved, Seireitei would have lost already."

"Is he really that powerful?" Draco questioned.

"More than that. And he's pretty much the only thing standing in Aizen's way to victory. Everyone knows that. That's the reason why we are main targets, and Ichigo's so pressured. He has to deal with a war and his responsibilities as a Division and Clan Head, but now, he also has to handle your remaining criminals..." She paused. "He was supposed to rest a little here before going back onto the battlefield. And now he's got to fight another war."

"What about Lieutenant Abarai?" Hermione asked.

"What about him?"

"Why did he- say all those things? Aren't they supposed to be friends?"

The twins nodded.

"Yes they are. Renji was one of the first to meet Ichigo right before the war broke out. They used to be enemies, and then, when the... misunderstanding was cleared, they started fighting together for their beliefs, and became fast friends." Karin began.

"They were a lot alike," Yuzu picked up from where she let off, "Abarai-san and Ichi-nii. They were brash and reckless, and loud and completed devoid of any etiquette. They rushed head first into the worst situations, and only got out by sheer force of will. And a bit of luck too."

The British students shot a pointed look at Harry, who blushed and glared.

"No etiquette?" Blaise repeated, surprised. "Wasn't he raised by the Shihouins?"

They shook their heads.

"No. Well, yes, but he knew to separate his personalities depending on the context. And he was, first and foremost, a strong-willed, lively boy."

Looks of disbelief were shared between the kids, unable to think of their teacher like that, and yet, Hermione's research a few weeks ago, corroborated the twins' words. The picture of a kid grinning at them and waving enthusiastically while relishing in his mother's embrace flashed through their minds, and they nodded silently.

"But to think he became that- that- Gothic Git!" Ron exclaimed, wrinkling his nose in incredulity.

"Ronald!" Hermione snapped, shooting a glance at the twins, who had stiffened.

"What?"

Karin stood.

"I know that's the nickname the students gave him, but it's utterly unfair! Ichigo's made so many sacrifices to preserve the world, he's seen so much, and yet, you degrade him behind his back without any reason to!" She said vehemently. "You're so ignorant, it's sickening!"

"Calm down, Karin-chan." Yuzu said gently, laying a pacifying hand on her sister's arm.

"You're one to talk!" Ron blurted out as he stood, his face color rivaling his hair's. "You're the ones not talking to him when he was only trying to protect you!"

"Look who's talking!" Karin immediately retorted, gray eyes hard as she took a threatening step towards the redhead. "You've been ranting and raving about how my brother wasn't trustworthy ever since we arrived here, and here you are defending him?"

"Well, at least I'm not his sister! _I_ didn't betray him even though he was only trying to ensure my safety!"

Something stirred at Karin's feet as her eyes darkened even more, and she stepped forward, hands balled into fists and teeth gritted together as Yuzu, gazing in shame at the floor, held her back by the arm.

"You-" The dark-haired twin began in a low voice.

"And what, may I ask, are you all doing here?"

They froze at the cold voice, and turned to the doors, only to see the subject of their conversation standing there, his eyes cold and his demeanor just as icy as it usually was. He was standing very straight, crimson robes falling gracefully around his strong body and down to the stone floor. He was alone.

"Well?"

They stared frozen at the ominous silhouette in the entrance, none of them finding their voice. Ichigo took a step into the room, and that seemed to shake them out of their stupor.

"Ichi-nii..."

He rose an eyebrow.

"Oh? So it is Ichi-nii now that I have caught you fighting with the Gryffindors, Karin?" He asked coldly.

She looked at him in disbelief, before what he had just said finally registered. But he was already speaking again when she opened her mouth to explain, looking around.

"Three Gryffindors, one Hufflepuff, and six Slytherins... And yet, no evidence of fighting..." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "No hostile magical residue either. Pray tell, _what_ were you doing here after curfew and _together_?"

Karin stiffened.

"What, does it bother you? Weren't you the one to tell us the House rivalry was stupid?" Karin sneered, glaring at her brother, who merely gazed back impassively.

"Yes I did. But I am the teacher here, Karin, and you will show me proper respect."

She opened wide eyes, then laughed mockingly.

"Yeah, sure, good one, Ichigo. Don't pull that one on me, I'm still your sister."

"Are you?"

She gaped, smile nowhere in sight.

"What?"

His cold eyes never wavered.

"You heard me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She gritted out.

"I think you clearly expressed how unsatisfied with your brother you were." He said neutrally as he started turning around. "I will escort you all back to your dormitories. Get out of here."

"Bu-"

"No discussion. Get moving."

They exited the Room of Requirement, and walked away without waiting for the door to fade from sight.

"Ichi-nii..."

"I have two wars, a lot of paperwork and students to deal with at the moment, Karin. I have no time to handle your mood swings. We will do that at a later date if I am still alive and well enough to listen to your sudden change of heart."

She looked like she had been slapped in the face, and lowered her head. Yuzu's hand came slipping inside hers, and she squeezed it so hard it must have hurt a lot, but the younger twin said nothing, just squeezed back and offered just as much comfort as she could as the answer was meant for her as well, and was painful to hear for her too. Maybe, she thought as she felt the telltale burn of tears in her eyes and blinked furiously not to burst into tears in front of others, and break the promise she made all those years ago when her mother dies, maybe they had gone too far this time. Maybe Ichigo had suffered too much to forgive them this time again. Maybe their betrayal on top of Renji's had been too much for them to deal with, and he had decided to stop trying. Maybe he gave up. But on what? Did he give up on family? On them only? On friendship? On loyalty? On _love_? She dearly hoped he hadn't. Because he deserved love more than anyone else she knew. He deserved to love and be loved without fear of betrayal. He deserved to live and be happy and get the family he had fought so hard to protect, and which only ended up pushing him away and turning on him.

But they, the twins, his beloved sisters, had been too stupid to see that everything he did, he did it for them, or they were at least one of the reasons he acted the way he did. And now that they had finally realized it, it was too late. They couldn't do anything anymore. Because as she looked at him, at the chiseled lines of his face, at the harsh look in his eyes, at the coldness war had brought onto his once fierce and determined features, she could only see that her brother had finally let go and closed himself off to stop taking the emotional hits he never let anyone see, but which had damaged him so much he was on the verge of breaking down.

For the sake of his sanity, Kurosaki Ichigo had buried himself deep under Shihouin Azrael, and wouldn't come back for a good while, if ever. Ichigo had suffered too much. Azrael, on the other hand, was a new persona, strong, resistant, tough and unattached. He would cope where Ichigo couldn't. And then he would be fine for the time the war demanded it.

o-O-o

They took the Gryffindors back first, then Yuzu, and then the Slytherins, down in the dungeons. They met Snape on the way, but he said nothing, merely looked at them and Ichigo with understanding obvious in his bottomless onyx eyes. When the portrait closed, the students shared a look and went to bed without a word, knowing that now wasn't the time. They needed to think. They needed the night. And tomorrow they would talk. Tomorrow, they would think.

* * *

><p><strong>Did anyone see the last <em>Supernatural <em>episodes? Thought they were awesome, it's been so long since we've seen Dean really laugh!** **Three weeks to go before Castiel comes back, hurray!**

**So... Things are going downhill- again. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a mean bitch! But what can I say? I love to make my characters deserve their happy ending... *beams***


	17. Death and the Awakening

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi guys! Sorry I took so long to update, I was having a panic attack about chapter 20, and then, I felt the need to rewrite it twice before my laptop's wifi started bugging and I got 'OMG what I'm going to do if it crashes I don't have enough money to get another one!'... So, yes... Not a fun Monday. My teacher sucks, he doesn't care about us, and to top it all off, I found out he's the one in charge of the last year of the translation course I'm studying... <strong>

**Anyway... **

**Here's the chapter, thanks everyone for reviewing, there are now a lot of people in Paris who think they've been riding the bus and train with a complete loon who was grinning to herself while staring at her phone^^! **

** To those who also follow _Shadow Child_, rejoice! I actually managed to write four paragraphs yesterday! I'm so proud of myself, yay! *Bows to the cheering crowds* **

**Okay, okay, I'm done here! Enjoy! **

**P.S.: Someone pointed out in a review that Ichigo should wizen up to the fact that he was constantly being spied on and notice the eavesdroppers. While I agree, there is a logical explanation to the fact that he actually doesn't notice our little rats: Hogwarts is a highly magical entity, where thousands of people gifted with more or less high reiatsu/power have been. In other words, its very air is filled to the brim with power, which makes it pretty much impossible for even the most gifted reiatsu-sensor to detect an unwanted presence/intruder nearby. **

** I hope the explanation is clear and makes sense to everyone, if not, feel free to PM me and I'll answer to the best of my ability. **

**Cheers!  
><strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 17:<span>

Harry looked out the window and at the white grounds of Hogwarts. The park was entirely covered in fresh snow, and it seemed that once again, they would have a snowy Christmas. Not that he complained. He loved the snow, its icy pureness, its immaculate perfection. In a way, it reminded him of Malfoy. Well, except that Malfoy, for all his efforts at hiding it, had a fiery temper Harry had been a prime witness of more than once.

Said Slytherin was seated opposite him at the Slytherin table, since he had categorically refused to go and sit at the Gryffindor table, arguing that he would never lower himself to 'mingling with peasants and ill-bred mongrels'. While Ron had turned a nice shade of red and Hermione had pursed her lips, Harry had just given a tolerant smile and gone off to sit with him in the Great Hall so they could work on their Defense Assignment somewhere other than the library, which they could honestly not bear anymore. They had spent far too much time buried in dusty tomes for that, and wanted to work in a less confined place for once.

The assignment had been going well enough, he supposed. Malfoy was actually tolerable _-nice_ if you got to know him and he lay off the snobbish git persona he usually displayed to the world, and he gradually found himself enjoying their little studying sessions and having a civil conversation with the blonde. The gray eyes and sharp features were only a bonus, and had absolutely nothing to do with the fact he looked forward more and more to their time together each week. Nope, not at all.

However, they had already been at that for quite some time, and his concentration was growing thin. He glanced longingly at the grounds. What he wouldn't give to go out there and breath some fresh air! Sighing heavily, he flipped absently through the pages of the Malfoy book, knowing that his assignment-partner would most likely throttle him were he to dare disturb him in his writing, but looked up as there was a flicker of movement at the Head Table. Professor Kurosaki had just stood and was leaving, along with Lord Kuchiki. Now that was interesting, and reminded him that the man was apparently not what he seemed, and that until now, they had failed to discover what their war was about, who it opposed and, most importantly, _what_ the different parties involved were. Turning back to the book in renewed interest, he took a piece of parchment and started to write a summary of Hermione's conclusions at the last Order meeting.

Once finished, he looked over the list, and deduced that he had to look for beings who could walk around even after dying, were long-lived if not immortal, and fought with swords. He started to skim through the pages, trying to narrow his search down by eliminating the creatures that didn't fit at least one characteristic, and ended up with a dozen choices. Upon looking more closely, however, all of them were written about for at least seven pages of very small characters, and he felt like fainting at the mere idea he had to read through all of that. Sure, he read and wasn't as anti-books as Ron could be, but seriously? This was pure torture! He wondered for the billionth time how Hermione could read all those thick tomes and not be blind as a bat already. Or insane. Or both.

Sighing, he started reading. It took him the better part of the next hour to go through his selection. Of course, the fact that most creatures had strictly nothing of a dead beast helped a lot, and he found himself at the end of the book with no match to his criteria. Disappointed, he frowned and closed the book. There was nothing in there. Either the Professor was no known creature -Lieutenant Abarai _had_ said he wasn't one of them, after all- or they were wrong somewhere about their conclusions. He stood, intent on going to find something to eat, but the fluttering of a piece of parchment caught his eye. He bent down and grabbed it right as it was about to hit the ground, and furrowed his eyebrows as he realized it only sported a small paragraph written in an elegant, cultured script, and that it had fallen from the book he had just been reading. Lucius Malfoy, most likely. Raising the piece of parchment, he read:

"_Of all Japanese creatures, the Shinigami, or Death Gods, are amongst the most mysterious. Whether myth or reality, it is said that they reap souls and help them cross over to the afterlife, by use of a special blade that, supposedly, is a part of their soul. Not much is known about that elusive legend: their form, living place and powers are unknown, as are their possible enemies and society._"

Harry felt his breath hitch. Here were two of the three elements he had been searching for! Death Gods obviously implied a tight relationship with spirits, and they used blades. If the Shinigami really existed, then, as Death Gods, they were most likely dead, which would explain Lieutenant Abarai's words, and being dead, immortality or a very long life came very logically, thus the enemy leader, Aizen's very old age. He glanced down at the piece of parchment again, and copied it quickly, before putting the original back in its place. He couldn't be sure of anything. And if Kurosaki was indeed a Shinigami -or fought for them at least, then he would have trouble proving it: how do you force a spirit to reveal its true nature? Without knowing their powers and whether they had a secrecy policy or not, pushing the issue without proof could either make them make fools of themselves when the man got what they were getting at and laughed in their face, or their deaths when he had to make sure no human knew about them.

He absently gave the book back to Draco, who was handing out his hand, and turned around. He would just have to make sure Kurosaki was a Death God. But for that, he needed help. So he did what was natural: he called the cavalry.

o-O-o

"What's all this about?" Pansy asked, looking bored.

Hermione, who had insisted on bringing the Slytherin Five, rolled her eyes at her.

"Harry might have found something about Professor Kurosaki."

All eyes turned to him, and he fought the sudden urge to blush as those silver-gray orbs stared intensely at him and him only. Quickly gathering back his composure, he ignored the smirk on Malfoy's aristocratic lips, and set on telling them what he had read. They all fell into contemplative silence after that.

"This is only a theory." Harry insisted. "And very vague. We need to make sure."

Blaise and Theo shared a look.

"Karin and Yuzu must know." The latter said. "He's their brother after all. What's more, he never hid the fact that he came here for their safety. It would be strange were they to evacuate without knowing why."

Blaise nodded in agreement.

"Yes. However, we need to do this subtly. We can hardly ambush them and force them to tell the truth or just question them out of the blue."

"Yeah, well, I don't really see how we could lead a conversation to that kind of topic subtly." Ron argued. "It'll obviously end up in something like 'say, Karin, is your brother dead? I mean, I was wondering if he was a Soul Reaper?'" He snorted. "That would go over smoothly."

Draco shot him a scathing glare.

"I think that confronting them on it would be the only way to broach the subject with them." Everybody stared, startled.

"Encouraging the Gryffindor approach, Malfoy? That's not very Slytherin of you." Harry said, but there was no malice in his eyes, just amusement and -was he teasing? Draco smirked.

"Yes, well, we of Slytherin never hesitate to use whatever means necessary to reach our goals. _Including_ a Gryffindor approach, as disgraceful as that is." He added as an afterthought, scrunching up his nose in mock disgust.

Harry laughed.

"Sure!" He teased cheerfully. "Back to the matter at hand, who agrees with Draco here?"

Eyebrows rose at the use of the blonde's first name, but nobody commented as said blonde didn't, and they voted. In the end, it was decided that they would confront the girls, but needed to look like they knew enough to pull a convincing bluff. If the twins guessed that they were only confirming a theory, then they would call them on their bluff, laugh in their face and just leave before telling their brother about their suspicions.

"Say," Harry said suddenly, "I have another idea. What if we just asked the Professor to tell us about Shinigami. We can say we found the reference in Draco's book, but never managed to find more on the subject, and since he's Japanese, we thought he might be able to tell us more."

Draco smirked, silver eyes glinting in the firelight.

"Wow, Potter, I'm almost impressed."

Harry rolled his eyes, then turned back to the others.

"So? What do you think?"

"That's a good idea, actually." Hermione said slowly. "But we'd need to have him cornered so that he answers us. Of course, if he's one, he'll most likely feign ignorance, but he will also tell us something because he can't be all ignorant of a Japanese legend, it'd be suspicious." She paused.

"We should do it in public." Pansy said. "With teachers around, but not Lord Kuchiki, or they might take... drastic measures to keep their secret if it's what they are."

"What about Kurosaki? He'll do that too, won't he?" Ron objected.

"Well, maybe, but you heard Abarai like me: he said he's not one of them. Maybe he'll chose not to act without making sure his secret is compromised." Blaise answered.

"Yeah." Harry agreed. "We should do this tomorrow. The teachers always spend tea time in the Great Hall in the afternoon during the holidays."

"I don't think this is a good idea." Theo suddenly said. "If we do this in public, he might take whatever excuse to elude our questions, and we might be interrupted by an unsuspecting teacher. And after that, he'll know that we suspect what he is, and be extra-careful. No, I say we go to his rooms to ask. And make sure we're not disturbed."

They all looked at him in realization. And so it was decided they would do it that very same evening. They set off without further delay to the fifth floor, blessing the Marauder's map every step of the way, before respectfully knocking at the portrait. The teacher was alone in his rooms, and Kuchiki Byakukya was nowhere on the map, meaning that he was out.

"Yes?"

"Good evening, professor. We have questions to ask you about the Christmas assignment, if you have some time." Draco said.

"And why are you not in bed? It's 11:30 already, meaning that curfew is long past."

They merely stared sheepishly up at him, and he sighed, but stepped aside, gesturing for them to come in. They did, admiring the quarters he had been given, and immediately noticed the picture of a small orange-haired boy with lively hazel eyes clinging to his mother.

"She's beautiful..." Hermione couldn't help but whisper as they sat down.

"My mother, as you already know, Ms Granger."

"What happened to her?"

He glanced at her, his features blank.

"Freak accident. You read that article, didn't you?"

"It was muggle." She objected. "Doesn't cover wizarding phenomenons."

She trailed off, startled at the dark look on his face, before he turned around and poured himself a glass of clear liquid, before handing them all bottles of butterbeer.

"My mother was... murdered. A tragic set of circumstances, I suppose. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and far too dedicated to her children for her own good."

They didn't dare elaborate on the last part, looked around to let him some time to gather his composure. There were papers everywhere on the dining table, from essays to what looked like forms, hastily signed and stamped, a discarded manilla folder, japanese brushes and black ink, along with another bottle of that clear liquid he was currently drinking.

"What's that?" Ron questioned curiously, pointing at the man's small round glass.

He looked up from his mother's picture.

"_Sake_. Japanese specialty. It's very strong, don't drink any before you turn twenty." He smirked, before looking at them. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

There were a few seconds of silence as they realized they actually didn't know how to broach the subject subtly.

"We'd like to know about Shinigamis." Harry finally settled on saying, as the others all watched the man closely for any reaction he might want to hide. But if his eyes widened ever so slightly, his face remained impassive and he quirked an eyebrow.

"Shinigamis?" He repeated, looking puzzled.

"Yes. We found a reference to them in a book, but there were only a few lines, and pretty much nothing about them in whatever books we could find." Draco elaborated.

He hummed thoughtfully for a second, staring at them with dark mismatched eyes, the flickering flames from the fireplace casting ominous shadows over the sharp planes of his face. He seemed to be considering something, as if debating with himself, then set his glass down and poured himself another.

"Shinigamis, eh? Very well."

They almost didn't catch the dark smirk on his face, before he spoke again.

"Where to begin? _Shinigami_ means, in Japanese, 'Death God' or 'Soul Reaper'. According to our lore, they are spirits who collect souls in the Living World to send them to the Afterlife. They are very rare to come across if they're real, because their natural form is that of a soul, and nobody can usually see the dead."

"We can see the ghosts at Hogwarts, though." Pansy pointed out.

"Indeed, but they are fundamentally different, insofar as wizarding ghosts are souls who refused to pass on, while Shinigamis have. They just held a particular kind of power which allows them, amongst others, the ability to go back to the World of the Living so that they can guide newly-dead souls."

"How do they do that?"

He finished his glass of _sake_, and put it back on the table.

"Supposedly, they use blades. They call them _Zanpakutô_- 'Soul Cutter' or 'Soul Slayer'. A Zanpakutô is to a Shinigami what a wand is to a wizard, except that it is born from his soul, and he can speak to it in the depths of his mind."

"They're sentient? The blades, I mean." Ron blurted out.

"This is a legend, Mr Weasley." Kurosaki said gently. "But yes, it is said that they are indeed sentient. Independent even though as a part of their Shinigami's soul, they will under no circumstances rebel against him."

They mulled over all that they had heard for a minute, before going back to the questioning.

"So, nobody can see them when they're in the World of the Living?"

Damn. _That_ threw down all of their theories, for they could see the man sat in front of them quite well, thank you very much. And if there was a means for the Shinigamis to actually be seen by mortals and the man was one of them, he would most likely never tell them about it. So they were back to square one.

"Select individuals can." He merely said, looking intently at them, and they could have sworn his eyes grew brighter with amusement, the very look that said 'I know something that you don't and I'm damn enjoying myself'. It was at that moment that they got the strong feeling that for some reason, he was willingly putting them on the right track and giving away important information.

"So-" Ron continued, but was interrupted by the portrait pivoting and Lord Kuchiki stepping through, surprise at seeing them there artfully concealed.

"Byakuya." Kurosaki greeted. "How was your trip?"

"Fine. My estates are all doing well."

"Very good."

The man nodded and disappeared further into the suite of rooms. Ichigo turned back to them.

"So?" He repeated.

"So, what defines those individuals?" Theo piped up.

"They have an affinity with them, a small amount of Shinigami power. It can be genetic, accidental, or because of exposure to a particularly powerful Death God. Sometimes, even them gain powers of their own."

That had them perking up.

"Really? Do you have examples?"

He smiled darkly.

"Yes, actually. It is a very old legend, one mostly forgotten, but the Shihouins have extremely well-kept archives."

Hermione's eyes lit up at that, and she leaned forward avidly. The Gryffindors and Slytherins rolled their eyes. Kurosaki merely smirked. Again.

"Will you tell us?"

He chuckled.

"Yes, I will, though it is not a pleasant story." He paused, poured himself a third glass of _sake_ and downed it in one go, before starting again. "The main character of our story was a boy whose father was actually a former Shinigami who left the afterworld to live in the World of the Living to marry a human. They had that boy, who inherited his father's power, and was therefore able to see ghosts from birth. Unfortunately, that power leaked out of him constantly. He was unaware of it, you see, and had no idea Shinigami existed. He just went on with his daily life, trying to appease ghosts whenever he saw them. People around him called him a freak for that ability. He had a small group of loyal friends, though, whom he saw pretty much every day-"

Byakuya came back into the room and said something in Japanese, his eyes hard. The kids looked at each other, surprised that the translator charm didn't seem to work anymore, before realizing that there must be a ward to dispel it at the entrance of the rooms. The language was like a low song, soft and melodious, and they found themselves loving hearing it as the DADA teacher answered softly, something which had the other contemplating the response, before he asked something else in a softer tone, a concerned look in his eyes. Ichigo nodded reassuringly, a barely visible smile shadowing his lips, knowing that Byakuya could see it. The man nodded slightly, his gaze softening, then left without another word.

The young captain turned back to his students.

"Where was I? Ah, yes. So, he had a small group of friends, whom he ended up contaminating." Eyebrows rose at the strange choice of words, but they didn't comment. "They started seeing ghosts too, and as they developed powers, eventually became involved in the spirit world."

He paused to fill his glass again. Strangely enough, the alcohol didn't seem to affect him at all: there wasn't a hint of color in his cheeks, and he looked completely sober.

"Unfortunately for them, it is at that time that a civil war broke out in the spirit world. They had to fight for the Shinigami, and saw things no child should have to see."

"But none of them died, right?" Pansy, always a sucker for happy endings, asked.

"No, they didn't." He answered.

_Yet_.

He shook his head, unaware of the glances the kids shared at the dark look on his face. He didn't want to think about that.

"And what happened after that? Who won?"

He looked at that, a bitter chuckle on his lips though he never let it escape.

"Nobody knows." He said simply, draining his glass, pouring himself another, and then knocking it back as well.

"What was his name?"

He paused, seemingly thinking about it.

"My mother used to tell me he had been named Ichigo, 'the one protector'. She loved that story." He said, mirth dancing in his mismatched eyes.

Theo and Hermione shared a quick look at that. The coincidence was a little too much, and if they weren't mistaken, then the teacher had most likely just told them a part of his very own past. Harry, Draco and Blaise's eyes had widened in wonder.

"Really?" Said Pansy.

"Really."

"Ichigo."

They turned around, only to do a double-take as they caught sight of the small girl leaning on the door frame of the bedroom, deep purple eyes staring confusedly at the young teacher. He stared for a few seconds, looking flabbergasted.

"Rukia..."

It was only a murmur, barely audible, but so full of indescribable emotion that the students felt a shiver run down their spines.

He jumped to his feet and was by her side in a flash, looking at her intently. They stared at each other in silent intensity for a few seconds, and then, suddenly, the man did the unthinkable. He wrapped his arms around her petite frame and pulled her to his chest, holding her in a crushing embrace. The girl didn't look fazed in the slightest, merely returned the embrace and buried her face in his clothes, her eyes closed and a silent tear running down her pale cheek. The students looked on in disbelief as their harsh teacher inhaled deeply and nuzzled her black softly. Glancing at each other, the wizards stood and silently left.

o-O-o

They stood embraced for several minutes on end. Even though she had no idea what had happened for Ichigo to be so perturbed, Rukia said nothing. She could feel how much he needed to make sure she was real and not some kind of hallucination. And she was also glad to see that part of him again. It had been a very long time since the young captain had shown that kind of emotion, and she couldn't help but feel relieved that inside, he still cared about her just as much as he used to. No matter what happened, no matter what he went through, no matter how much he hardened his heart, he would always be there for her and the rest of his loved ones, his precious friends and family, the very people he was ready to throw his life away for. She inwardly berated herself for even thinking that he might not be the same caring and loving person she had once introduced to the world of the Shinigami.

Ichigo was someone who would never forget what he fought for. He was strong, and despite his harsh and uncaring exterior, he cared. A lot. And for him to react that badly to her awakening... She shuddered. Something terrible must have happened.

"Ichigo..." she whispered at last, and he stiffened, before pulling away slowly and looking her up and down.

"Does it hurt anywhere?"

She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. Ichigo, where are we?"

He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, still checking that she didn't show any sign of pain. Finally, when he judged that she was indeed fine, he nodded to himself.

"We're at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My sisters are fifth years here, and I'm a teacher."

Recognition flashed through her eyes.

"The school where you're supposed to get reinforcement for the war..."

He nodded.

"What happened?"

He hesitated.

"Renji came to me. You were heavily injured, and neither Unohana nor Inoue could do anything, so we took you into the World of the Living under stasis so that the damage wouldn't increase. I fed you several wizarding potions, and managed to heal you. Renji also poured a lot of his spiritual pressure into you so that you would have the energy to get better."

The petite girl perked up at that.

"Renji's here?"

"He left yesterday, Captain-Commander's orders. But Byakuya's there too."

Her eyes lit up.

"Nii-sama?"

He nodded with a soft smile.

"Yeah. He was a great help. He's taking over some of my duties while here."

She looked at him closely.

"You look like shit."

"Thank you."

They paused, just looking at each other.

"Well, we better take a seat, I have several things to explain to you."

They did, and he started telling her of everything that had happened, downplaying the betrayal he had felt when he had caught the Order spying, and omitting his new relationship with her brother, of course. She listened intently as he told her all about the Wizarding World, how she should talk and what she needed to know.

o-O-o

The Slytherin and Gryffindor groups started hanging out together more after that, mostly because of the Kurosaki twins, whose brother's words the night he found them in the Room of Requirement seemed to have really shaken. They were careful not to be seen by other students, though. The DADA teacher hadn't reappeared since he told them about the Shinigamis, and neither had the Kuchiki Clan Head.

They had been spending time outside at the edge of the Forbidden Forest where nobody would see them, when suddenly, they heard voices, and froze, quickly disillusioning themselves in case the newcomers were hostile creatures or even Death Eaters. That's how, standing in the shadows, they saw Professor Kurosaki walk out from the shadows of the forest, escorted by a a small girl and Byakuya. Both men litteraly towered over the only female of the group, but she didn't seem to mind. She was wearing the same black uniform they had seen the red-haired lieutenant wear, and had a long sword strapped at her hip. The way they leaned over her protectively didn't go unnoticed by the Slytherins, who found this extremely interesting.

"_I must say, Nii-sama, those human clothes really suit you. You should dress like that more often._"

The man merely rose an eyebrow.

"_We are required to wear an uniform, Rukia, and you should know better than suggest that I set a bad example for our troops._"

She looked down sheepishly.

"_Forgive me, Nii-sama._" she said, looking properly chastised.

"_Ah, come on, Byakuya, leave her alone, she just woke up. What's more, she's right. You look dashing in these clothes._"

Dark silver orbs turned toward him.

"_Do I now?_"

Ichigo looked away.

"_Of course you do. You could be dressed like a beggar and still look every bit the Noble Clan Head._"

A small smile appeared on the noble's lips, which didn't escape his sister's notice. She looked up at her best friend, a smirk curling her lips, then poked his side.

"_Oh? Ichigo, are you blushing?_"

He glanced down at her, felt dread at the sight of her expression, swallowed.

"_Of course not. Who's blushing here?_" He looked around as if trying to find someone else, then glowered as she poked him again and giggled.

"_You're blushing!_" She said in a sing-song voice. "_Did the two of you actually get together while I was asleep? Huh?_"

They shared a glance above her head. Byakuya turned his head slightly to the side. Something flashed through the mismatched eyes, and they darkened, but he turned his attention back to the girl.

"_Stop with the nonsense, Rukia, would you?_" He said, his tone drier than intended. It seemed to sober her up, though, as the smile faded from her face and she looked back down.

"_Oh. Well, it's not my fault anyway. The two of you would make such a wonderful couple, you were made for each other, and you'd be soooo cute!_" She cooed, her hands clasped in front of her chest, stars in her eyes.

Ichigo chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"_Don't go imagining things, midget._"

But there was sadness in his voice, which gained him a concerned look from Byakuya, which he dutifully ignored, pretending to be still focused on the petite Shinigami, though the forced smile turned sad once he thought nobody was looking.

"_Come on_", he eventually said as they walked past the hidden group, "_it's almost lunch time, we should go already._"

They exited the forest and started walking up to the castle, leaving behind a group of very puzzled students.

Rukia didn't stay long at Hogwarts. In fact, she just had lunch with everyone in the Great Hall, animatedly conversing with the Kurosaki twins, before she left with her brother and the Defense teacher. The group, who had surreptitiously followed the adults, managed to overhear most of the conversation. They were all standing in the Entrance Hall, Dumbledore and the teachers who had stayed for the holiday on one side, looking at the three Japanese.

"-I will therefore take Rukia to my mansion, and use the remaining days of vacation to give a hand to my people in the war."

"So you won't be spending Christmas with us?" Yuzu asked, looking on the verge of tears.

"I am afraid not." He answered coldly, before turning to his father. "Father, please take care of yourself."

_And of them._ The last part of the sentence remained unsaid.

"Of course, Ichigo, no worries here. Go and come back safely. I'm counting on you to keep an eye on him, Rukia-chan!" He concluded with a wink. She _curtsied_ and answered in a horribly sweet voice that she would. Harry was sure that had he not had a Pure-Blood image to keep up, the Japanese teacher would have rolled his eyes.

Byakuya thanked the Headmaster for his hospitality -both for himself and his sister, and they said their goodbyes, before leaving through the Great Doors. And so the castle seemed strangely empty without the strange Professor there to liven things up, even if only by the mystery which seemed to constantly surround his person.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter over! So, the gang's starting to have suspicions, Ichigo told them about his past, and Rukia woke up, yay! <strong>

**What did you think?**

**I love cookies!**


	18. Of Kings, Japanese Lords and Ministers

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi people! How are you all on this magnificent day! I wanted to thank you all for your reviews! I'm currently writing chapter 22, and to be truthful, I'm quite pleased with how it's going. The end of term is coming, and I'm going to have more work to do from now on, but I'll try to keep updating on a one chapter every two-three weeks basis. <strong>

**Anyway, on with the chapter, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 18:<span>

The holidays were spent enjoying free time and studying for the students, and tearing their hair out for the majority of teachers who was part of the Order of the Phoenix. The remaining Death Eaters were getting increasingly cheeky while still laying low, and had gotten very good at erasing any and all traces of themselves which could have enabled the Aurors and Order members to track them down and wipe them out. So they were reduced to trying to anticipate the next attack, and making sure they were ready for an emergency at all times of the day and night.

It was at times like these that Harry found himself somewhat regretting not having Voldemort's Horcrux anymore, for it had been a very useful way to predict the Dark Lord's next move and his objective, useful enough, in fact, that they'd been able to thwart a great majority of his plans thanks to it. Now, though, Voldemort was dead and nobody had any such link with one of the criminals, making it far harder to find out their plans and put a stop to it, especially considering the fact that they seemed to have no identity. Ironically enough, the Death Eaters considered most dangerous during the War, like Bellatrix Lestrange, had all been captured and dealt with according to their crimes, and those who were now so easily evading both the Ministry and the Order were only small fries the names of whom nobody had ever bothered to list, as they had bigger fishes to deal with.

Even Snape knew pretty much nothing of them, for as lower Death Eaters, they weren't given the privilege to take off their masks, increasing the idea of the 'faceless soldier', and when Ron had snapped at him it was a miracle he'd survived at all being this unobservant, the man had dryly told him that he was pretty sure _he_ wouldn't have made it more than a few minutes with having to preserve his cover in the eyes of many extremely observant and sadistically-inclined people.

Lucius had said the same, arguing that it was what had cost Regulus Black his life, and they'd started tearing their hair out once again, metaphorically of course.

They all ignored Ron's childish statement of "and where the hell is Kurosaki when we need him?", except for Hermione, who looked scandalized by her boyfriend's lack of tact and consideration.

"_Professor_ Kurosaki is _fighting_ in his home country, _Ronald_!" She started angrily. "He's probably in danger as we speak, maybe even injured and _dying_! And didn't you see his scars? His war sounds _awfully_ gruesome to me, so don't you _dare_ speak like that about such a _courageous_ man!" That being a summary of the actual rant, which lasted far longer, and eventually had the red-head shrinking in his seat with flaming red ears and several disapproving looks boring holes into his skull -both for saying such tactless things and giving Hermione the opportunity to lecture him.

To Ron's silent call for help, Harry merely gave a stern glare back. _Sorry mate, you deserve it._

And that night, as they fought against a group of black-clad Death Eaters going for the kill and messily trying to cause the most damage possible, they could only think about the man who'd left a few days earlier to go back to war instead of staying here to rest, and was probably fighting for his life and freedom right now, thousands of miles away, in a conflict he'd said was more violent and bloody than they could ever imagine.

Looking at the bodies strewn across the ground, blood flowing, limbs twisting and wounded moaning, it wasn't something they were willing to picture.

o-O-o

Professor Kurosaki wasn't at dinner the night before classes were to start again, and was nowhere to be seen at breakfast the next either. The seventh years gathered in the classroom could only wait and wonder if he would show up, and just as they were about to go ask McGonagall about him, he finally walked in, crimson robes flowing around him with an elegance they could only dream of.

They were taken aback, however, when he turned around: he had dark circles under his eyes, his skin was an unhealthy shade of white, and he looked, all in all, utterly exhausted, on the verge of collapse. The group remembered he had said he was going back to the war, and could only wonder what he had gone through to look so dreadful.

It also became an evidence that whatever had happened during the holiday had put him in a horribly foul mood, and while he had settled for cold indifference and condescension before, he now snapped at the students who failed to answer questions they had been supposed to read about, or did something he had said not to. Though it made his classes extremely stifling and oppressive, it however had one positive aspect: the last remnants of the House Rivalry completely disappeared after he had given ten detentions and taken fifty points from every student making derogatory comments about another House, or openly fighting.

"I have had _enough_ with your childish rivalries. You are all human, all wizards, magic-users, and your blood or mental qualities do not have any real importance in this. Yes, you are different, and therefore complementary. Get used to it or get out of my class and never come back again. There are bigger problems in this world I have to deal with without adding your ridiculous childishness to it all."

After two weeks of getting snapped at, everybody stopped trying to get him to open up, and stopped talking to him, waiting for him to calm down. Even the teachers did so. They, however, had a good reason, as the seventh years discovered when Neville's misfired spell directly hit the man in the shoulder, knocking him into the wall. The teen's face drained of blood as he saw what he had done, however unintentional it had been, and waited for his punishment.

It never came. The man's face contorted in pain as he slid down onto the ground, and the students, who had grown silent as death, widened their eyes when they saw the blood start to drip down his fingers and onto the stone floor. The wall had been tinted red too, and his robe was getting soaked with it.

"Professor!"

It wasn't too long before Hermione, who had been quick to gather her composure and had left to go get help, was back with Professor Snape, and the man rushed over to the fallen teacher.

"For Salazar's Sake, Kurosaki, I _told_ you not to overdo it! Are you _trying_ to lose your arm?"

He scowled when the other merely muttered something that sounded like a swearword in answer, and tore off his robe. The teenagers could only gasp as they saw the gaping wound which had reopened, and the red-soaked bandages which the shock had displaced.

"Stay still. This is going to hurt. A lot." The Potions Master ordered.

Ichigo sat a little straighter but said nothing, even when the sour man emptied an entire vial of a dark green potion on the injury. He gritted his teeth, his whole body tensing under the pain, but didn't let a single sound out, and Harry noticed, as did Hermione, Draco, Theo and Blaise, that the Head of Slytherin was actually rubbing his arm in a soothing gesture, something they would never have imagined him capable of. Of course, they had seen how the the two teachers seemed to get along at the beginning of the year, but they seemed to have stopped talking for quite a few weeks now. However, it looked like the usually distant Potions Master really cared for the younger man.

"To think I _told_ you to get it looked at by Madam Pomphrey." He grumbled on. "But did you listen for once? _No_, of course not, because you Shihouins are so unbearably arrogant, never listen to what you're told."

"Severus-"

"And how in the Seven Hells did you manage to get such a wound and still come teach? You shouldn't even have traveled all the way from Japan over to England, it only made it worse. Are you stupid or what? Do you really want to die?"

"Severus-"

"What were you thinking, going back to war between terms? It was a ridiculous idea. And what did you achieve? Nothing. You just came back exhausted and wounded, snappish, and all around insufferable-"

"Severus!"

The man seemed to finally hear him, as he rose his head and looked up directly into the mismatched eyes, which had filled with amusement.

"I am alright, really. No need to worry."

Someone snickered.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor each and detention with Mr Filch tonight, Mr Finnegan, Mr Weasley." Ichigo said without even looking.

He stood up with the help of the Potions Professor, and brushed the dust off his robes.

"_Those were my favorites._" he said regretfully.

Snape snorted.

"_Oh, please, it's not like you can't buy new ones._"

Ichigo glared, then shrugged.

"_How did that happen?_"

The younger wizard tensed, then looked away.

"_Their leader surprised me._"

Onyx eyes searched his face suspiciously.

"_And that's the whole extent of the damage he caused?_"

The Shinigami gave a harsh laugh.

"_No. But I was healed before coming back._"

He didn't mention that it was in fact his own regeneration that had done the job, or that he had gone back pretty much without telling anyone. Only the Captain-commander had been aware of his departure, and he had purposefully avoided Byakuya so that the older man wouldn't worry needlessly and get distracted in battle, thinking about his injuries. His _reiatsu_, however, although extremely vast, had been used in both extensive healing and combat for the past ten days, and he had decided to preserve it by leaving the relatively shallow wound on his shoulder to heal at a later date, if not by natural process. His father had bandaged it as his _kido_ wouldn't have had the necessary potency to counter Aizen's _reiatsu_ and push it away, and so he had had to come teach with a pretty much useless shoulder. The tiniest movement pained him, and he hated with a passion the idea that he would be handicapped were something to happen.

"_God, I hate this._" He muttered as his friend helped him stand up. "_I'll be fine._"

The man merely glared before stalking out of the room. Ichigo sighed, but then turned towards his desk.

"P-Professor" Neville stuttered "I-I'm really sorry, I swear I didn't do it on purpose!"

"No worries, Mr Longbottom, you are but a student, it is expected that you make mistakes. And you could not have known that I was injured. Do not blame yourself."

The Gryffindor looked clearly relieved.

"Thank you Professor."

And they were back to the lesson. But several students couldn't forget the sight of the blood running down the tan skin, and the multitude of gruesome scars scattered all over the powerful body.

o-O-o

"I heard you were hurt."

He turned around, looked down into the defiant eyes of his dark-haired sister.

"Nothing important." He replied coldly. "Severus tended to it."

She held him back by the elbow as he turned to leave, flowering fiercely.

"And _why_ didn't you?"

She knew he could regenerate himself, having seen him do so in battle, though she had no idea how the ability worked. She just knew that it stopped working after he had spent too much time continuously fighting.

"I had no time to do it." He said curtly. "Now if you would let go of me, Kurosaki, I have classes to teach."

"Bollocks!" She suddenly yelled, attracting the whole Hall's attention. "You know as well as I do that the only way you couldn't heal yourself would be if you'd been fighting for too long without rest! So how long did it last this time? Three days? Four? A week? When are you going to put a stop to that shit? It's been seven years already! You should be dating and partying around, not fighting and continuously risking your life while leading men on the battlefield!"

"Kurosaki-"

"My name is Karin! I'm your freaking sister, remember? You have two, in case you've forgotten! You have a family! What do you think we'll do when you get yourself killed, huh? Did you think about that? You selfish bastard!"

And here it was again, that word. _Selfish_. He was so very tired of having it thrown to his face... But she was going on, getting strength in the approving look in her sister's eyes.

"Aizen's already made you his main target! Why won't you just get out of this mess already? This is not your war, goddamnit! You're not even one of them! Stop rushing head first into things that don't concern you! Not only are you spoiling your life, but ours as well!"

He stiffened and took a step back at once, looking as if he'd just been slapped. Eyes hardening, he was about to answer, when he was unexpectedly saved by Severus who came stalking, black robes bellowing around him with every step he took, a stormy look on his face.

"Miss Kurosaki, as a Slytherin, I would think you would know better than screaming and openly disrespecting an elder in the Great Hall, at lunch time. Twenty points from Slytherin and detention with Mr Filch all week. Now get out of my sight."

She seemed to be torn between yelling at him too and complying, but a quick glance at her twin was enough for her to decide, and she relented, begrudgingly letting go of her brother's sleeve and storming out of the Hall. Ichigo nodded at the Potions Master in thanks. Then, he too left the Great Hall, and headed for class, features schooled into a harsh mask of impassibility.

Several days passed uneventfully after that. Ichigo taught his classes, the twins kept to themselves and their -unofficial- boyfriends, and the Gryffindor and Slytherin groups kept meeting discreetly.

A week after the confrontation between Karin and her brother, they were sitting at dinner, eating the wonderful feast prepared by the House elves when suddenly, there was an explosion, and Dumbledore stood up in alarm as the doors banged open, revealing some thirty Death Eaters, all clad in black robes, white mask concealing their features. The students screamed as they stopped at the entrance, and the doors swung shut behind them.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Dumbledore boomed, voice filled with authority and power. Ichigo would have rolled his eyes. Seriously, who they were was completely irrelevant here, and what they wanted was pretty obvious: they wanted power, and they wanted to kill. Their bloodlust was so strong he could almost touch it. And Shiro was reveling in the scent of death that came form them.

"There are several blood-traitors walking those halls, soiling the purity Hogwarts should represent." The leader said. "We have come to set things right."

"Blood-traitors?" The Headmaster asked with polite interest, though his eyes had lost their usual twinkle. "And who would that be?"

There was a bit of chilling laughter.

"Severus Snape, for starters, heir and Lord to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Prince, blood-traitor by his allegiance to the Light and his treason to the Dark Lord. You shall pay, traitor!" The man merely stared back unimpressed, and so he turned to his next target. "Draco Malfoy. Heir to the prestigious Malfoy family. How dare you soil the blood of your ancestors by associating with muggle-loving fools? Your family will be the first to perish!" The boy paled, but said nothing. "And you!" The Death Eater said as he whirled around to face the Head Table again. "Shihouin! Lord of the oldest wizarding family in the world, the Shihouin Clan. Defending mudbloods and blood-traitors, fighting against your brethren, betraying the values of your ancestors... You shall di-."

"Yes, yes, die an agonizing death, I can hear you. Would you mind taking your leave now? This is boring me to tears!" The young teacher said, ostensibly yawning, not even looking at the group.

They stood stunned for a second, before finally gathering their composure.

"You dare! When you can't even perform anything other than Light Magic! Can you stoop any lower? Won't you fight?"

He spared him a bored glance.

"What for?"

"What a coward! Well then, if that's how you want it... _Crucio_!"

The beam of red light rushed towards Draco, who paled, reaching for his wand, but just as it was about to hit him, something flashed in front of him, and took the curse head on. The Slytherins gaped as they saw the DADA teacher crouching on the table, his head lowered as one of his hands was splayed out on the wood to steady himself. He didn't give the slightest hint that he had just been hit by an Unforgivable. Instead, he slowly looked up, his eyes dark, yet shining with a dangerous light, the golden eye even more so than the other.

"I do not care if you attack me. I am strong enough to take everything you could throw at me. But attacking children... that I will not tolerate." He slowly straightened up, and let his robes fall from his shoulders, revealing a dark outfit made of a tight top, combat pants and dragon hide jackboots. "You have just signed your own death warrant. Not a single one of you will get out of here alive."

His wand suddenly appeared in his hand, and those who were close enough could only gape at the sight of it. It was twelve and a half inches long, very straight, and a dark crimson -the color of blood. He moved, and suddenly, the Death Eaters were shouting curses, sometimes hitting each other. There seemed to be a dark hurricane in their midst, and corpses fell right and left, before suddenly, the man reappeared a few feet away from them, watching them go on fighting against an enemy who wasn't even there anymore. When they finally realized it, there was a mocking smirk on his lips, which soon changed into a dark grin.

"Is that the extent of the famous English Pure-Bloods' skill? I am so very impressed." He drawled. "And to think you say you know how to practice Dark Magic... Pathetic."

"What do you know of Dark Magic, Light-Lover?" One of them yelled. Clearly, their intellect was quite low. Ichigo's grin widened as he let Shiro seep to the surface a little more. His eyes glowed eerily.

"Oh, I can assure you I know more than you will ever know about it. We in Japan are trained in all types of Forgotten Arts after all."

"The Forgotten-"

"Don't tell me-!"

"No! It's impossible!"

The grin widened again until they could see his teeth.

"Yet it is. And now..."

They charged him with a yell. Curses flashed, bodies fell. In the end, there remained only one person standing. He looked up, tucking stray strands of hair behind his ears. The leather bond had fallen off during the fight.

"How inconvenient." He muttered, before poking one of the corpses with the tip of his boot and scoffing. "And _that_ is the best Dark Wizards England has to offer? No wonder this country is so weak..."

He then turned around to look at the adults.

"Well, I think you are rid of your rebellion problem. Maybe you should call over the Ministry and get someone to clean up. They will start to smell in an hour top." And with that he swept out of the room, leaving a gaping student body and staff.

o-O-o

The students were sent back to their dorms, but still saw the Minister and several Aurors stroll up to the castle and meet up with Dumbledore. None of them were aware of the lonely figure standing high above the castle, at the very top of the Astronomy tower, long hair fluttering gently in the cold breeze, reiatsu wrapped around him like a cloak to protect him from the harsh cold of the winter as he gazed down at the Crimson Wand.

It had been such a long time since he hadn't used it and yet, when he had cast the first spell, it had been like reuniting with an old friend. A dear friend, one he had missed for the past years. The Crimson Wand. She was unique. She had his fiery temper and power, she had his determination, and tenacity. She was one of a kind. A special combination of spiritual, mortal and wizarding cores which -though he hadn't known at the time, actually symbolized his very nature. And despite the long while that had passed since he last used it, she had still answered his call like the faithful friend she was. And she was now humming with contentment, gently vibrating with power and satisfaction. She had had her fill of blood and magic tonight, and he knew she would never serve another. Because she was his, and he was hers. That's how it had always been, and would always be. No other wizard could ever hope to master her.

He sighed as he slid her back to her holster on his right arm, gazed up at the moon. The air was chilly, the sky, clear of any cloud. Winter was here, and unwilling to depart anytime soon. He did not care, however.

But he knew that he had been reckless tonight. Everybody had seen him fight, students and teachers alike, and he was quite sure the kids would be quick in writing their parents about what had happened at dinner. Most of them would most likely relay that he had been amazing or something. The most observant or intelligent ones, however, would point out the fact that he had admitted to being thoroughly trained in Dark Magic. He was sure to have the Minister and parents hounding him by the following morning, the press would be all over it...

It was precisely what he had wanted to avoid.

And yet he had no choice anymore, and by his own fault. Sometimes, he wondered if the hot-headed teenager he had once been was really dead and buried. Right now, it seemed to him that he had chosen the worst moment possible to reemerge. He sighed.

"**Ya're in trouble, **_**Aibou**_**..."**

He groaned.

"_Thanks, Shiro, I hadn't noticed._"

The Hollow shrugged.

"**Well, ya still have me, don't ya? There's no way they could do somethin' ta us. We're light years ahead of 'em." **

Ichigo nodded, then started to lower himself down to the ground.

"_Yes. I'm going to sleep now. You can stay here and run around for a while if you want. Just don't be seen._"

Shiro glowered.

"**Oi, who d'ya take me for? D'I look like a goddamn dog ta ya? I'll do whateva I want, don't order me around!"**

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever._" Ichigo threw over his shoulder, waving his hand negligently.

o-O-o

**DARK WIZARD AT HOGWARTS!**

**By Rita Skeeter**

_Yesterday evening, at around seven, the student body of Hogwarts was gathered in the Great Hall for dinner when a party of thirty Death Eaters, clad in the usual garb, erupted through the doors. _

"_It was terrifying," says a fourth year hufflepuff student, "it was like we were at war all over again." _

_They then proceeded to insulting select people whom they had deemed blood-traitors, such as Severus Snape, Lord of the Prince House, or Draco Malfoy, whose family was revealed as spies at their trial. The most surprising accusation came towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Ichigo Kurosaki, a Japanese Wizard recently arrived at Hogwarts. The man didn't seem very impressed, as witnessed by the student body: _

"_He was so cool, he just waved them off like that! He wasn't afraid at all!" -5__th__ year Gryffindor. _

"_He was completely calm, and didn't move an inch." -3__rd__ year Ravenclaw. _

"_He took a Cruciatus Curse in my stead. I would have been tortured had it not been for him." -Draco Malfoy, 7__th__ year Slytherin. _

_However, where this act of heroism seems grandiose, the man then single-handedly slaughtered the entire group. It seems that our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is indeed extremely competent, as proves the fact that he has been World Dueling Champion for fourteen years on end already, having won his first world championship at the record age of eight. _

_However, several students also testify that he admitted to being thoroughly trained in the Dark Arts themselves or, as he called them, the Forgotten Arts. It is true indeed that Japan and most of Wizarding Asia are renowned for their extensive practice of Dark Magic and their lack of measures towards creatures the European Ministries of Magic consider dangerous. Werewolves being an instance of that state of fact. A 2__nd__ year Hufflepuff was kind enough to relay the whole conversation to us, adding that the expression on the man's face was "-terrifying. He looked so blood-thirsty, with that big grin on his face, and his eyes had this eerie glow... He looked positively crazy."_

_The question therefore is: what will Headmaster Dumbledore do now that the truth has been revealed? Will he allow such a dangerous individual to stay in the midst of innocent children he could mold into the next Death Eater generation? What was really the true purpose of that man by coming to England? Why did he leave Japan in the first place? So many questions without an answer... _

Ichigo's only sign of contrariety was his pursed lips as he helped himself to some tea, the _Daily Prophet_ lying open on the table by his plate, openly ignoring the mostly distrustful glances thrown his way, and the few concerned looks select people such as his father had on their faces. Severus was scowling heavily by his side, his knuckles white as he clutched the paper, eyes narrowed at the article.

**'Ya're in deep shit, **_**Aibou**_**.' **Shiro's voice held none of its usual humor, and Ichigo's lips tightened at the obvious sign of worry.

'_I know._'

**'D'ya have a plan?'**

'_If I judged Minister Fudge correctly, he will burst through those doors with a party of Aurors to arrest "the criminal" before breakfast ends, and cause a massive scene._"

**'And what ya gonna do?'**

Ichigo allowed himself a small smirk.

'_Well, given my position, I can not allow myself to be arrested, now, can I? I am, after all, the Shihouin Clan Head, and a prominent citizen of Japan. I am therefore not under the British Ministry of Magic's jurisdiction, and will under no circumstances allow those sorry excuses for a wizard to shame my name under the pretense that the type of magic I use is "evil"._'

All remained silent in his mind for a while, and then, Shiro snickered.

**'I'm so gonna enjoy this.'**

'_You are_.' Ichigo nodded, then turned back to his breakfast, ignoring the way several students were glaring at him, amongst whom were Ron Weasley, his face almost as red as his hair as he glowered fiercely at him, while almost shouting about how he'd been right all along and that the "evil git had kidnapped Lupin and was here to kill Harry in revenge for the death of his snake-faced master."

"_Good Lord,"_ Ichigo muttered under his breath, "_it's a wonder he's not had an aneurism yet..._"

Severus chuckled beside him, and he glanced up, only to meet amused onyx eyes, which turned serious a split second later.

"Be careful." He merely said. The younger man let the tiniest hint of a smile brush his lips, ever so slightly dipping his chin in acknowledgment. It seemed to be enough for the Potions Master, because he turned back to his eggs.

That was when, as predicted, Minister Fudge burst through the doors of the Great Hall, followed by a group of crimson-clad Aurors, and looking as though he was going to explode from the amount of triumph he was feeling. He stopped right in front of the Head Table, the height at which it stood allowing the now staring staff to tower over him while still sitting.

"Dumbledore." He said curtly. "Minerva."

"Cornelius." They returned.

"We have come to arrest the criminal."

Shiro howled in laughter at that. Everything was going precisely as Ichigo had foreseen it, down to the man's choice of words. The young man himself couldn't help but quirk up the corners of his mouth. He, however, kept eating his breakfast even as everybody seemed to be waiting for his next move with bated breath. He didn't budge, merely helped himself to another glass of pumpkin juice, which he started to sip from nonchalantly, glancing at the man dismissively before looking away and back at the paper. He bit his tongue at his Hollow's derogatory comments, while watching from the corner of his eye Fudge turn redder and redder the longer he ignored him.

"Ichigo Kurosaki! You are hereby under arrest by the Ministry of Magic. You will be taken into custody and tried for using the Dark Arts and for the murder of upstanding British citizens. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can be used against you. Do you understand your rights?"

Ichigo, who had looked up at his name, smiled pleasantly, resting his cheek on his palm and his elbow on the table by his plate.

"Why, Minister Fudge, I understand perfectly that _you_ seem not to have understood anything. First of all, your "upstanding British citizens" were Death Eaters who tried to _Crucio_ a student, as Mr Malfoy testified in this morning's edition of the _Daily Prophet_. Here," he added, mock-offering the paper to the small man, "have a look." The Minister opened his mouth, but the DADA teacher interrupted him. "Second, I as a Japanese citizen, do not, thank Salazar, fall under your jurisdiction, meaning that you have _no_ right to actually arrest, try or sentence me to anything. And third... I do not think the Japanese King of Magic would be too happy with you were you to do that. You have already insulted my name by accusing me of murder in a case where self-defense was quite obviously what happened. What is more, by calling me a criminal for using the Dark Arts, you insulted the whole of Wizarding Asia which incidentally happens to produce the best Wizarding Warriors in the world. As a close friend of the King's, I would advise you not to antagonize me too much."

The minister, who had been losing colors with each and every word that left his mouth, was white as a sheet by the time he finished, and stood dumbstruck for a while before finally gathering his composure.

"Lies! Everybody knows that the Japanese King of Magic is pretty much unapproachable! Only the oldest and most powerful Lords such as the Shihouin Clan Head could have a rank high enough to be so close to-!"

Low clapping interrupted him, and he reddened even more, a vein pulsing at his temple as he looked at the man he had come to arrest in a brilliant move that would no doubt increase his popularity, who was clapping his hands mockingly.

"Bra-vo, you have figured it out. This shows how aware you really are of the happenings in your country, Minister. My identity was revealed a few weeks ago already, yet, you know nothing of it, I must say I am impressed. No, no, really, I am."

"Whatever do you mean?"

Cold mismatched eyes drilled into him as the man's mocking smirk faded and his features hardened into cold disdain.

"Exactly what I said, Fudge. My true name is Shihouin Azrael, current Head of the Most Ancient and Noble Spiritual House of Shihouin."

Fudge sputtered as staff and students alike openly gaped at the young man.

"P-p-prove it!" The little man finally cried triumphantly, certain there was no way that man was who he said he was. He was far too young. And yet, when he stood up, fearlessly strolling around the table to stand before the Minister, there was only a scornful boredom in his eyes as he rose his hands in the air, palms up. Red particles started converging towards his hands, forming a long, slightly curved form, before, as they solidified into a definite shape, revealing a magnificent sword, sheathed in a dark crimson scabbard stained with dark veins of black. The guard formed an intricate crest, and the two leather strands hanging at the end of the handle each bore a pure gold crest as well, three ornate kanjis around which coiled snakes formed an elaborate 'S'.

"I am sure you have heard of this artifact, Mister Fudge." Ichigo said, mismatched eyes glowing in delight as he caused the man's humiliation, not even bothering to give him his "rightful" title. "The Blood Sword. You are aware, of course, that only a Shihouin Lord can lay a hand on it. Therefore, you can not doubt my truthfulness anymore."

Dismissing the sword, he turned around, clearly dismissing the Minister, who sputtered indignantly.

"Wait! This is not over! You have killed British citizens!"

"Citizens you would have no doubt sentenced to Azkaban or the Dementor Kiss once you caught them, an endeavor I am sure you would have succeeded in, Mister Fudge." He said, sarcasm practically dripping from the last part of the sentence.

The vein on Fudge's temple was now throbbing angrily. Ichigo absentmindedly wondered if he could be held accountable for the stroke the man looked like he was going to have. Shiro snickered.

"And you're a Dark Wizard!"

This time, he couldn't hold back the irritated sigh.

"Yes, Mister Fudge, I think we have already established that. However, the Forgotten Arts are common practice in Asia, and I have merely followed the appropriate education my rank and ascendance demanded I be given. What is more, you could very well use a Light Levitating Spell to kill someone by dropping them off a great height, causing them to die in the agony of having their bones broken and massive internal bleeding instead of killing them painlessly with the Killing Curse. Dark Magic does not equal Evil, Mister Fudge, maybe the time has come for you and your people to grow out of your prejudice, unless you wish to remain behind in many fascinating aspects of magic."

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was a Dark Wizard! And look the thousands of deaths he caused!"

"Oh please! Lord Voldemort was a brilliant wizard, but he made the mistake of actually splitting his soul into seven horcruxes without securing the process with an anchor, hence the loss of his sanity! Anyone half-knowledgeable in the Forgotten Arts knows that! And for your information, the people I killed were threats to the wizarding community, and I consider it a favor from me to you to have killed them. If you are unhappy, then by all means, find yourself another Dark Lord. I will not help with this one, however, and I doubt Mr Potter will either. Even saviors have their limits."

He sat back in his chair, and waved his hand in a shooing motion.

"Now if you would let us finish breakfast in peace, some of us actually have work."

"You- you- I-"

"Minister, I think it would be best to leave. Clearly, that man is out of our reach." Shacklebolt said soothingly to the Fudge, before gently but firmly steering him away and towards the doors.

"This is not over!" Fudge yelled over his shoulder, pointing a dramatic finger at the teacher now back to his meal. "I'll have you extradited before the end of the week, mark my words!"

"And I can safely say that were you to do that, the King would be extremely displeased and relations between our two countries could become- problematic." Ichigo said calmly, not bothering to look up.

Fudge turned from tomato red to chalk white before reddening again to a nice purple shade which made him look like an apoplectic.

"Goodbye, Minister Fudge, my regards to your wife." The DADA teacher mockingly concluded, hiding the jibe under the disguise of polite interest and courtesy, as if their conversation had been about the weather and not his possible arrest and life sentence.

The doors closed.

Everyone gaped.

Severus and Isshin smirked.

Shiro howled in laughter.

Ichigo sipped his pumpkin juice like everything was just fine in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, so Fudge got put in his place, Ichigo rules as always, and he's finally given Hogwarts a brief but shocking glimpse of his power -magical and political alike. And Rita Skeeter made her great -indirect- entrance too! Wow, that was actually one hell of a chapter, lol! <strong>

**Hope you liked it as much as I loved writing it! Hope the Death Eaters weren't too caricatural... But generally speaking, villains _do_ have a bad tendency to talk and talk and boast instead of attacking and doing whatever bad guys do... **

**See ya all next time! **


	19. Dark Foreboding

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi kiddies! And thanks for your awesome reviews! Just finished chapter 24 today -might add a thing or two but nothing much. It's actually a miracle I managed to write it so soon after finishing chapter 23, considering how draining that one was^^! Just hope it didn't end up as crap, lol! <strong>

**Anyway, here's a new chappie, hope you like it. As usual, I didn't proofread myself. Sorry for any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out. **

**End of the year coming soon, and the Olympics too! I'm so excited that it's in London, hope I can go and watch some Dressage competition^^!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 19:<span>

He looked up when there was a knock at the door, and called for the person to come in. Severus entered, sneering at the students who dared look up from their quiz, and made his way down the aisle.

"_Are you finished soon?_"

"_Fifteen minutes to go._"

The Potions Master nodded and watched the class silently for a while, before turning back to his younger colleague.

"_It is the Order, is it not?_" Ichigo asked before he could speak.

"_Yes. They are currently all convinced you are the Japanese Dark Lord._"

The young man let out a dark chuckle.

"_Well, they are not so wrong. You could consider all Japanese wizarding nobility as Dark Lords and Ladies, we _do_ practice the Forgotten Arts, now, do we not?_"

"_This is serious, Ichigo. If they deem you a threat, they will do everything in their power to destroy you. And now that you have annihilated their main object of concern, I think I can safely say that they will concentrate the whole of their effort on you. And weak as they are, there are still several of them, and you are alone._"

Mismatched eyes met onyx black.

"_Am I?_" Ichigo whispered.

He turned back to his class. "Time almost up."

They stood in silence, waiting for the test to come to an end.

"_You're not._" Snape suddenly blurted out, right as the DADA teacher was about to call for the quiz to be handed back.

The young man turned questioning eyes to him.

"_Alone. You're not alone. I stand by you. Lucius does too. And your father. And Lord Kuchiki. The Order may not understand Dark Magic or the Forgotten Arts, as you call them, but I do. To an extent, I do._"

The Shihouin Clan Head rose an eyebrow.

"_To an extent?_"

"_I am by no means as knowledgeable in that field as you are._" Snape admitted, the faintest hint of a blush gracing his pale cheeks.

A soft smile lit up the Dark Wizard's features, and the Potions Master couldn't help but feel his breath catch in his throat at how that simple change softened his face and made it look so much younger and his actual age instead of a war-weary veteran.

"_Thank you._"

He turned briefly to the class, calling for the students to give him their papers.

"_Do you resent me still?_"

Mismatched eyes turned to him.

"_About...?_"

"_The Order..._"

Ichigo's face darkened.

"_I think I understand. You had no part in the second attempt on my privacy, while you were most likely trying to downplay it when I overheard the first one... Am I wrong?_"

Severus smirked.

"_No. Lucius and I thought that it would be better if we were the ones assigned to your surveillance._"

The young man nodded as he bent down to put away the neat stack of parchment.

"_Thank you._"

"_Aren't we friends?_"

He offered his hand, which Ichigo shook immediately. And there was no need for words anymore, because their handshake and eyes said it all. Together, they would stand back to back until the end. Even if it meant opposing the Order of the Phoenix and all the prejudiced wizards in the world.

o-O-o

It happened after dinner. He had felt the staff and student body's suspicious eyes on him during the whole meal, and it had taken a great deal of self-control to not let his annoyance and growing frustration show. He had managed, however, and been quite surprised not to have been addressed before he left. However, he had barely exited the Great Hall that the Transfiguration Mistress' dry voice had cut through the air and informed him of the Order meeting in the Headmaster's office. He was expected to go. Immediately.

Steeling himself for the unavoidable hatred he was going to be subjected to, he made his way over to the second floor, and quickly gave the password to the gargoyle, which swung aside obediently. Slowly, he climbed up the rotating stairs and then inhaled deeply, before giving a sharp knock and entering the packed office. Instantly, he found himself the target of the general attention, with gazes ranging from open glares to curious stares to wary to guarded. Lucius and Severus stood in a shadowed corner, as usual, and he noticed that the Golden Trio and Slytherin Foursome were there, looking at him through blank eyes for those in Salazar's House, anger (Ron), distrust (Hermione) and- was that confusion on Potter's features?- for the Gryffindors.

"Ah, Mr Kurosaki. Please have a seat."

He noticed immediately how he had gone from "Ichigo" to "Mr Kurosaki", but didn't comment and elegantly sat down instead, carefully schooling his features into a blank mask. They sat in silence, and he listened to Zangetsu's soothing voice attentively, knowing it was the only thing helping him keep his temper in check. He was getting very tired of the permanent suspicion that had been shrouding him like a cloak ever since he had set foot in England, and the fact that several Order members were trained Aurors wasn't of any help here.

"In case you have forgotten, Headmaster, I have other things to do than sit here all night. If you have something to say, please get it over with so I can deal with _really_ important business."

The old man's eyes had lost all of their customary twinkle when he started speaking.

"You are aware, of course, of the accusations against you, Mr Kurosaki."

Severus and Lucius shifted slightly.

"It would have been hard to miss seeing as it made front page of the _Prophet_, Headmaster." Ichigo's condescending tone was borderline disdainful.

"What do you have to say about it?"

He rose an eyebrow.

"Nothing more than what I said this morning."

"You barely did anything other than flaunting your wealth and Pureblood status to his face." Ron sneered.

"Are you or are you not a Dark Wizard?" Moody grunted out.

"I am Japanese, Auror Moody. That means that I was raised as a Dark Wizard, and will certainly not renounce this education for your sake."

"Why not? Dark Magic is wrong!" A strong-jawed wizard exclaimed, holding his wand tight.

"Is that so?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because they kill innocent people!"

"Really? I was unaware I had done so. Maybe I should get myself checked for amnesia. Along with most of Wizarding Asia, for that matter."

The man turned a shade darker, but didn't lower his wand. Ignoring them, he continued. "I can assure you I have never murdered anyone in my life. I have killed, yes. My enemies, and people who globally deserved it. Those Death Eaters, for example. But I have never in my existence taken the life of someone innocent."

"And what's your proof?" Ron spoke up. "After all, you already took Professor Lupin away, what's your proof that it wasn't a ploy to destroy the Order from within?"

"Ron-" Harry started, but was interrupted by Ichigo, who leveled a stern, disdainful glare at the red-head.

"Mr Weasley, I think it is time for you to understand that while Wizarding England has indeed had its time of glory, it has become one of the most pitiful and weakest magical countries in the world. Your community is so utterly bigoted and narrow-minded, even going so far as to shun magical creatures and Dark Wizards, that you have forgotten the most powerful aspects of magic, the most beautiful rituals, potions and spells it had to offer, and made yourselves reap for the taking. Taïwan by itself could crush you with only two battalions, and that is saying something, considering it is the smallest island in Asia."

"What are you-?" Someone indignantly began.

"He's telling the truth." Lucius spoke. "Our archives confirm everything he just said."

Ron sneered at him.

"The point being...?"

"The world does _not_ revolve around your little person, and I care very little if at all for your pathetic country. Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and all the Asian Wizarding Countries are extremely powerful, because we have kept our minds open, and carefully ensured that our magical creatures would be valued and respected for the new blood and pure magic they represent. Magic is all about intent, Weasley, and being Dark just means having a select type of core. You yourself are as light as one can get, but Mr Black is another thing altogether. Born to a Dark Family, his core is that of a Dark Wizard, but he actually managed to use enough Light Magic for it to turn more gray than anything."

The man's blue eyes darkened, but he said nothing, merely nodding at the explanation. Harry briefly looked up at him, then turned back around.

"So what? Wouldn't it be easy to take over such a _pathetic_ country?" Ron asked, spitting out the words.

The Shihouin Clan Head sighed.

"Mr Weasley, I am already powerful enough not to entertain such thoughts. I already run an entire division, a very wealthy clan, and have to deal with political, economical, and military matters every day. My name is famous in all the right circles, and believe me when I say I am respected and well-served. I have enough things on my plate right now to want domination over a foreign -and _weak _country on top of it, thank you very much. The sheer amount of work to turn it into a shadow of a decent country alone gives me a migraine."

"But-!"

"Ron, sit down and shut up."

Everybody turned to Harry in surprise as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Professor. Don't take it personally."

Ichigo waved his hand dismissively.

"Do not apologize for others' actions, Potter. You have no power over them and you should therefore not point yourself out as responsible for the consequences."

They all fell silent.

"Well," the young man finally said, standing up, "are you going to fire me, Headmaster, or will you suffer the presence of this evil person until the end of the year?"

"Oh, I dread the process of trying to find another Defense teacher were I to dismiss you, my dear boy," the old man, eyes back at full twinkle, which had Ichigo grinding his teeth together "and I have heard only positive reviews about your class. I believe your students would be most disappointed to lose you."

"_And here I thought I was going to be rid of paper-grading duty..._" He grumbled under his breath. Lucius and Severus snickered in their corner, garnering several startled stares from the assembled Order. Ichigo smirked then left. He still had, after all, an awful lot of papers to grade and read over.

In Dumbledore's office, the Order members looked at each other.

"I don't trust him." Moody muttered. "Dark Wizards are unstable and potentially lethal. I say we get rid of the threat."

"I don't know," Hermione said thoughtfully, "everything he said was true, and he _did_ kill those people under self-defense."

"He's a brilliant teacher." Harry added, getting himself a disbelieving look from Ron.

Draco nodded.

"Yes," Theo approved, "and he made it clear the other day that he thought cataloging Dark Magic as evil was stupid."

Dumbledore looked interested.

"Really? Could you perhaps show us the memory?"

The Slytherins shared a look with the Gryffindors. Draco and Harry nodded at the same time.

"I'll do it." The blonde said, standing up. He put the tip of his wand to his temple, and pulled it away with a silver filament dangling from it. "Here." He placed the memory in the pensieve the headmaster had taken out of its compartment, then whispered a spell. A screen appeared in the air. Everybody looked intently as the scene started playing.

_Ichigo was sitting on the corner of his desk, one leg nonchalantly dangling in the air, while the other was firmly planted on the ground. His hands were folded in his lap, and he looked just as dashing as he usually did, dagger earrings hanging from his earlobes as he watched the seventh year students trickle in for class. He waited for the teens to all be seated and silent before starting to talk, explaining about the term project and what they were going to do from now on in class. _

_He then proceeded to assign new seats to the students, thus effectively mixing them up, before he spoke again._

They watched as he explained the point of arranging the seats in such a manner that it brought down the entire system, told the students off for their stupidity and blind prejudices. It was clear, listening to him, that he cared very little for such behavior. The extent of his knowledge of Voldemort floored them, as even some of them hadn't known what he told the seventh years, and they could only watch on, enraptured as he started to explore the possibility of Riddle being adopted by a loving family, seeing the good side of muggles, and never becoming the monster the name of whom they were all too scared to say, even after his death.

"_What I want you to understand, is that to be a Slytherin does not mean that you are evil. Dark Wizards, maybe. But Dark, I will repeat it and pound it into your skulls if I have to, does not mean evil. Magic is all about the intent behind the spell." _

When the memory had ended, Draco took it back, and they sat in silence for a while, contemplating what they had seen and heard.

"He's just wrapping you around his finger, waiting for the good opportunity to corrupt you." Moody growled at last.

Several Order members nodded. Severus pursed his lips, Lucius straightened up.

"Actually, what he said was pretty interesting." Tonks chirped, her hair a dark blue hue as she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. "I mean, we Blacks are known for our Dark ancestry, so we must have a dark core. Sirius especially. Yet, he never killed anyone."

"I'm not a Dark Wizard!" The blue-eyed man shouted in outrage.

"I never said you were." His cousin said seriously. "But your core is, you can't deny it. Ichigo said so."

That garnered her several incredulous looks from the Order.

"_Ichigo_?" Sirius repeated. "When did he become _Ichigo_?"

"When you decided to become the same bigoted idiot your parents would have loved to raise, but the other way around!" She snapped as her hair turned an angry red color. "Your family is Dark, Sirius, you can't deny it! You have Dark Wizard blood, accept it and move on!"

A bestial growl sounded from his throat as he bared his teeth.

"Never in hell. I'd rather die."

"Why?" Harry said. "I don't see the problem."

Silence fell over them like lead as everyone turned to him, gaping, their eyes round as saucers. Feeling self-conscious, the young man crossed his arms over his chest, all too aware of the stares directed at him from everywhere in the office. Across from him, Draco was looking at him, his face blank but his gaze calculating. In their corner, Severus and Lucius watched the scene unfold with renewed interest.

"What?" Sirius barely whispered, but everyone heard it. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"What does it matter if you have a dark core? I don't understand. Professor Kurosaki is Dark, and yet, he never attacked anyone unless provoked, and is actually one of the only competent DADA teachers we've ever had. He fought against the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade, and again when they attacked Hogwarts, and defeated them for us without even using an Unforgivable. He's been nothing but helpful ever since he arrived."

Silence. Harry worried his lower lip nervously, not liking the fact that everybody was staring at him. His knee started bouncing as his eyes flickered from one person to the other, finally locking with Draco's intense blue gaze. His breath caught in his throat. Never before had he seen such an intense expression on the Slytherin's face. The blonde usually hid his emotions behind a blank mask of iciness and indifference, and to be the object of his _interest_... It was so overwhelming he forgot to breathe, and was only torn from his thoughts by the burning of his lungs screaming for air. Opening his mouth in a silent gasp, he took a greedy gulp of air. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, loosened his tie a little. The temperature in the room seemed to have gone through the roof all of a sudden, and he couldn't figure out why, especially since he seemed to be the only one bothered by the heat.

Beside him, Hermione looked concerned for a second and followed his gaze, before her eyes took on a knowing look which he instinctively felt wary of. _What_ did she think she knew to- to...

"Harry?"

His head snapped towards the headmaster so quickly his neighbors winced at the popping sound his spine made, and he grimaced as he rose a hand to massage the back of his neck.

"Hum, what? Sorry, Professor, I kinda spaced out for a second." He muttered, flushing.

"Yes, I can see that, my boy." The old man said, eyes twinkling in amusement. "I was asking you if that meant you cast a vote of confidence for Professor Kurosaki."

He straightened up in his chair, furrowed his eyebrows, but in the end, the decision was easy.

"Yes, Professor." He said with a decisive nod.

"You can't be serious!" Ron exploded, earning himself a glare from Hermione.

"Be respectful to your elders, Mr Weasley." McGonagall berated immediately.

Dumbledore clapped his hands.

"Very well then. As long as Mr Kurosaki doesn't do anything reprehensible, he will remain here as a teacher, and a trusted member of the staff. I expect each and every one of you to act as you did before when confronted to him, and not let your prejudices blind you. Thank you, this meeting is adjourned."

And with one final clap of his hands, they all up and left. Harry walked away in a daze, still shaken by what had happened in the office as his feet automatically took him to the Gryffindor dorms. He could hear the murmurs of discontent of the Order members who thought each and every Dark Wizard should be put down like rabid dogs, and couldn't help but snort as it would mean Snape and both Malfoys along with Sirius and Tonks and a good part of Slytherin House should have been killed. Kurosaki, he thought, had been right when he had delivered his lecture on Magic as a whole. It was the intent that mattered, not the spell or the core. And like it or not, Wizarding England, after tracking down everything remotely related to Dark Magic they could find, had weakened itself so drastically they had become ridiculously pathetic to other Wizarding Communities.

American Wiccans used Wild Magic, African Sorcerers used Voodoo Magic and Asian Warlocks relied on War Magic. Blood Magic, Necromancy, and Magic in general, combined to Muggle Fighting Techniques, were utterly lethal, and Harry could only wonder what the specialty had been in Europe before the darkest aspects of Magic had been forbidden and went extinct. The Way of the Mage, as his and Draco's project was called, was entirely based on the teaching of the Forgotten Arts, which was in itself a state of mind, a way of living, as well as a vast array of fighting styles -Asia wasn't the country of Martial Arts for nothing- and types of Magic.

Magical creatures were treasured because they were pure creatures of the Magic which ruled Warlocks, Sorcerers and Wiccans. Leaning forward until his nose was almost touching the yellow surface of the book pages, Harry wasn't surprised to read that Europe and most specifically England, France and the rest of the most developed countries on the continent were the only places were magical creatures were segregated against, and outcast as if they had a disease. Everywhere else, vampires, werewolves, elves, shifters and so on had equal rights and were highly respected.

Japan was ruled by a King of Magic, as Ichigo had mentioned, but the King was advised by a Council of Advisors composed of representatives of all magical species. He didn't know whether to feel shocked or not that the Head of the Shihouin Clan was actually a part of it. Strangely enough, the book didn't mention who was which ambassador. He guessed it was a safety measure of sorts. But to think that their DADA teacher was someone so important and was still there teaching them... He must have found them more pathetic than they could ever imagine, with their stupid House rivalry and little Death Eaters. The way he had dealt with twenty of them alone and without breaking a sweat was eloquent in itself.

Shihouin Azrael wasn't someone to be trifled with.

"What are you reading?"

Harry jumped violently.

"Sorry." Malfoy said before taking a chair and seating himself across Harry. "So?"

The dark-haired wizard straightened up, struggling to calm the erratic rhythm of his heartbeat.

"_The Ways of Magic-Users Across the World_ by Jyung Lee. It's- instructive."

"I imagine it is." The blonde approved pensively.

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"I was- surprised by your reaction, earlier." Draco suddenly admitted, and Harry's eyes flashed to his face before dropping. He felt strangely warm again. To conceal this uncharacteristic embarrassment, he shrugged.

"Yeah, well... Kurosaki _did_ only help us, didn't he? What's more, his reaction when he heard of his friend's injury and the lengths to which he went to save her don't point him out as someone evil to me."

He was acutely aware of Draco's blue eyes boring into his skull, and so he continued. "I mean, everything he's done so far was to protect us."

The blonde shrugged gracefully.

"Father and Severus are friends with him and have known him for several years. They say he's trustworthy, and would never ever do anything dishonorable. I believe them. What's more, it would be quite hypocritical of me to hold his Dark Core against him."

Their eyes locked as Harry's breathing hitched at the admission. He couldn't believe the blonde had confessed his true nature to _him_ of all people. Weren't they school -if not enemies, rivals? Weren't they opposites in every way, shape or form? Their physical appearance, their blood, their cores, everything about them opposed them. And yet, the blonde admitted-? Why?

There was something odd flickering in Draco's eyes as he waited for his answer, he realized.

Something-.

Fear? Anticipation?

"Yeah." He barely heard his answer. It was like his lips had moved by themselves, his throat generated the sound without his consent, his brains formed the response unconsciously. But it was true to what he was feeling. Whatever Draco was, he didn't care. He could have been a merman for all he cared, it wouldn't have changed anything. They weren't school rivals anymore. Somewhere along the way, they had become -friends?

And that was all thanks to a Dark Lord and a Dark Pureblood come teach them while keeping his family away from a devastating secret war.

"Yeah." He repeated.

And there was only relief in the blue eyes of the blonde Pureblood seated across from him. Relief, and something else he couldn't identify. Joy, maybe? But imagining Draco happy because of something he, Harry Potter, had said was almost disturbing to his troubled mind, so he decided not to linger on the idea, and looked down.

"Yeah." He said again.

The corners of Draco's mouth quirked up in amusement. Harry chuckled.

o-O-o

Days went by. The initial distrust caused by the revelation of Ichigo's true nature sent a lost of parents in a frenzy, and Dumbledore received quite a lot of letters demanding he put the DADA teacher down immediately, while said man was the target of a considerable number of Howlers. He was quick to incinerate them before they even started to yell out their content, though, and in the end, he just put up a ward so that any and all hostile content would be destroyed on the spot -without harming the messenger bird of course.

If his classes had been more subdued at first, he didn't comment and just went back to teaching like he always did, which seemed to put most students at ease. In the end, nobody had anything to hold against him, and so they just slid back into their usual routine.

Around two weeks after 'the Fudge Incident', rumor suddenly had it that the Minister had received a very special letter, and that by the time he had finished reading it, he was shaking like a leaf and all blood had drained from his face. He looked so scared Tonks maliciously commented it was a miracle he hadn't wet himself. Apparently, the seal of the missive was quite impressive, and a quick bit of research had proven that it had been sent by the Japanese King of Magic who, as he expressed it in the message, was none too pleased to hear that his estimated friend and adviser, member of the top nobility Magical Asia had to offer, was treated so badly in England. The British Minister had, after that, hurried to offer a formal apology to the Shihouin Clan Head, reined in the _Daily Prophet_'s slandering, and started to actively support Ichigo's words that Dark didn't mean Evil.

When he had read the article, they had all seen the dark smirk on the man's lips, right before he took a sip of his tea, along with the smug amusement in Snape's eyes. Isshin had laughed out loud and Karin had rolled her eyes, while the student body whispered and pointed at them, now realizing that they really _were_ such close friends with a King that he would write a letter to express his outrage at the slandering of their reputation and the mud thrown at their name.

Life, Ichigo thought as he enjoyed a quiet breakfast, was beautiful.

Of course, things were going far too well for him. Everything had to go downhill at some point, and it did.

o-O-o

It was Saturday. The weather was terrible, snow falling heavily from clouds so dark it looked almost like night had fallen, though it was only two in the afternoon. Most of the teachers and students had gathered in the Great Hall to benefit from Professor's Kurosaki's advice, which he gave without a second thought. Despite the revelation of his being a Dark Wizard, people had been quick to come around when they'd seen the way Harry Potter, Dumbledore and the rest of the staff and Order of the Phoenix treated him. Kurosaki hadn't shown any aggressive tendencies either, and so he'd been pretty much accepted. Harry, Ron and Hermione had seated themselves with the Slytherin Five and the Kurosaki twins by one of the fireplaces, and were talking quietly, much to the ever lasting amazement of the student body, while covertly watching the Defence teacher. The man had been jumpy for a while, since the beginning of the snowstorm, actually, and barely responded when he was talked to. Karin, who seemed to be affected as well, had said that she had a feeling that something bad was about to happen, that there was a tension in the air she didn't like, and that it was possible that the storm was actually a manifestation or consequence of some great event taking place.

The wizards could only agree to the possibility, as there had never been such a heavy snowfall for years. The doors opened, and Kurosaki Isshin walked in, shaking his head and shoulders to rid them of the white clinging to his clothes. The usually cheerful man's face was somber and tired, and as his eyes sought out the lean silhouette of his son, they couldn't help but be struck by how agitated he looked. Ichigo straightened up slightly at his approach, and seemed to deflate ever so slightly as the man shook his head and shrugged. The Shihouin Lord's hand twitched on the arm of his chair, and he painfully forced himself to relax his fingers before turning back to Severus, who was watching him with no small amount of concern-as well-hidden as it was, considering it was the Potions Master expressing it.

Several hours passed, and the young man grew more and more restless, until the doors banged open once again and a man was suddenly kneeling before Ichigo, tall figure towering over him. When the teacher had risen, they had no idea, but he was now looking down at the masked and black-clad man with hard eyes.

"_Speak._"

"_Captain-Commander Yamamoto requires back-up, Shihouin-taichou. Huge gathering of strong Hollows have been detected in Hueco Mundo. It appears that Aizen is making ready to besiege Seireitei, and the Captain-Commander has ordered an immediate counter-offensive._"

"_Anything else?" _

Without looking up, the man held out a manilla folder. "_Kuchiki-taichou ordered those be delivered to you._"

Ichigo paused as he took the folder and read the note sitting on top of it.

"_That bad?_"

"_Worse, taichou_."

"_Very well. Tell them I will be here as soon as possible._"

"_Yes, Shihouin-taichou._"

The man disappeared in a flash, and Ichigo sat back down and opened the folder, immediately immersing himself in the contents. He looked calmer, Draco noticed, almost peaceful. Those were no doubt battle plans, but it seemed that knowing what it was that he had been feeling for the past day appeased him. Now that he was no longer stuck in incertitude and anticipation, he could plan and act instead of waiting helplessly for whatever was coming to unfold.

Dumbledore stepped forward, wanting to ask about what had happened, but he was stopped by Severus, who shook his head mutely. There was nothing they could do. Ichigo hadn't asked for help, and most likely wouldn't. He had said it once already: they weren't ready to face another war, especially one the scale of the young Lord's.

Three hours later, Ichigo went to talk to the Headmaster. Severus was the only one to know what they said, but it was obvious by the way his face had darkened when they came out that it was nothing good. Isshin soberly clapped his son on the shoulder, not bothering to propose going to help as he knew the younger Shinigami would want his sisters to be protected. The group of wizards stood from their place by the fire when their teacher stopped by them, his features set in a blank expression.

"I am leaving for an undetermined period of time." He said quietly to the twins. "Be careful."

And that was it. Without a glance back, he walked out and disappeared for what may very well be forever, to an unknown destination and what was most likely a bloody battle. Karin tightened her grip on Yuzu as the blonde's lip trembled and she tried her best to push back her own tears at the obvious fact that Ichigo had possibly gone to his doom and would never come back. She shared a glance with Blaise, who nodded reassuringly, and shot him a poor smile. Her brother was perfectly able to take care of himself, as he had proven on countless occasions, there was no reason this would be the one time Aizen managed to kill him when he'd failed so many times before. She resolutely ignored the tiny voice telling her that before, Ichigo had had his friends to rely on, which wasn't the case now.

Seireitei was about to be surrounded, and he'd been sent for as a means to trim Aizen's army to the maximum by eradicating as many Hollows and Arrancars from Hueco Mundo, before they could even make it to the Soul Society. If the man sent his Espadas on Ichigo, even with his power, there was no way he'd make it through. _But he would_, she thought fiercely, refusing to let herself fall to depression, _he would, as he always had. _After all, when had her brother ever been one to go by the rules and comply to the probabilities? Never, that's when. And he would most certainly not start today. He'd survived worst odds. He could do it. He _would_ do it.

"He'll come back." She murmured. "He always does."

Nobody commented on the fact that this, whatever it was, had been enough to make the usually stoic Potions Master nervous, if his frequent glances at them were anything to go by.

* * *

><p><strong>Ok, so, some IchigoSeverus bonding, Harry actually has a brain, which helps him get closer to Draco, and the Order get a lesson on stupid rivalries. More and more of Ichigo's secrets are getting revealed, hehe... **

**Did anyone catch last _Supernatural_ episode? Garth's awesome, I kept thinking "he's so cute!" every five minutes, lol! **

**See you next time! **

**Edit: Wow, almost posted the old version of this chapter, which would have made the story take a whole different turn^^ Lucky me, I remembered at the last moment that the last sentence was nothing like I remembered, lol! Enjoy! **


	20. Cero

By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everyone! First of all, I want to dedicate this chapter to <em>sparklefreeze<em> and _Maverick14th_, whose enthusiasm is a brilliant encouragement. **

**Second, it's been pointed out for the second time that in the first chapter, I wrote Ichigo was the captain of the 14th division while I made him captain of the 5th in the rest of the story. This is a mistake on my part and I would correct it, but I unfortunately don't know how since it's been posted over a year ago and isn't in the doc manager anymore. Sorry. **

**Third... Well, not much to say. _Supernatural_ was awesome as usual, I discovered _Transformers_ (funny as hell, I was laughing my head off), and my finals are coming up, so I'm freaking out because I still need to hand over two 10-pages long essays plus my 50-pages long _mémoire_, and I'm awfully late^^! But I'll survive, and I'll hit my deadline on May 15th, so no worries for the update rhythm, you're one lucky bunch of kiddies, lol! **

**Anyway, think I've said it all... This chapter was written in answer to _Apostrophia_'s very helpful comment (thank you), hope you'll all like it, here it comes!**

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><p><span>Chapter 20:<span>

"Hinamori-fukutaichou..."

She looked up from her paperwork and at the third seat standing at the entrance of the tent.

"Yes, Kurogi-san?"

"Shihouin-taichou is back."

She almost dropped her ink brush at the news, and stood quickly.

"Thank you, Kurogi-san."

The man bowed and left quickly as Hinamori followed. The whole camp was buzzing with the news that the captain was back, and everyone tried to get a look at him, make sure he was okay. Hinamori made her way through the crowd, a task made easier by the badge on her left arm as her subordinates parted before her respectfully, and hurried over to the captain's tent, gathering spiritual pressure under her feet to keep from tripping in the sand.

"I'm coming in, taichou!"

Almost ripping apart the tent opening in her haste, she stepped into the tent, standing still for a second as her eyes adjusted to the dim light inside. The place was quite simple, with a desk and a chair on the right, a futon on the far side and a bowl of water on the left. There was nothing fancy here, just the bare minimum, and she found her respect and admiration for the man swelling once more as she saw yet another proof of how he considered himself equal to his subordinates. It wasn't the first time she came here, of course, but it was always good to know that your commanding officer cared enough to decline the privileges he had been offered due to his rank.

"Taichou?"

A groan came from behind the changing screen -something Ichigo had accepted so that changing clothes wouldn't delay reports or other such important discussions- and she straightened up as he came out, wearing only a pair of black pants, wet cloth in hand.

Once upon a time, she would have blushed at the sight of his toned chest and muscled body, but years of serving as his lieutenant had rid her of the reflex. Now, seeing him without clothes on only elicited a feeling of deep sadness on her part, as his skin was covered in scars of all sizes and types, be it burns, stab wounds, cuts or gashes, he had them all. And it proved just how much he had suffered at such a young age. While she had been a Shinigami for far longer than he had, she was nowhere near as scarred as he was and couldn't even imagine shouldering as many responsibilities as he did.

"I can't reach my back."

Nodding, she took the wet cloth from him and waited for him to turn before gently wiping the blood, sweat and sand from his skin, cleaning the wounds so that his Hollow's instant regeneration abilities could kick in. They didn't say a word as she worked, and as she went on, she could see the white substance slowly cover the injuries which were deemed clean enough. It was a fascinating process to watch, especially if it was the first time you saw it, but it wasn't for her, and she merely reached for her Zanpakutô once she was done, and slammed Tobiume's handle into the white scabs to get them to break. They fell, never reaching the ground as they dissipated mid-air.

Ichigo stood, thanking her.

"Anything happened in my absence?"

"We were attacked by a group of Hollows, but your barrier held strong and allowed us to successfully defeat them all." She paused as he nodded in approval. "What about you?"

"Nothing much. A couple Arrancars."

Knowing that was all she was going to get, she inclined her head.

"I better go back to my paperwork, taichou. You have a Captains' meeting in half an hour."

"Thanks, Hinamori."

She slipped back out of the tent, her mind still on the man she'd just left behind. In the years before he had been made captain, Ichigo had mostly fought with his group of friends, or alone, going off on solo missions to eradicate the most Hollows and Arrancars he could, so that there would be less enemies to kill his men. After Yamamoto had decided to promote him to an official Soul Society captain and put him in charge of Aizen's former division, though, things had changed. He had taken the new responsibility extremely seriously, and started doing all that he could to ensure the survival of his subordinates. This single determination, combined with his strength and innate good heart, had made him the most loved captain in Soul Society, and the one people knew they could truly relied on.

In battle, his mere presence was invigorating and encouraging to the fighting Shinigami, as he had the power to clear out a hundred Hollows with a mere swipe of his weapon and a small Getsuga Tenshou. Three months ago, the fifth division had been anxious that they might have to go on the battlefield without their captain, but the Captain-Commander knew better than to ask that of them. The once ryoka turned Substitute Shinigami then Shinigami Captain had become utterly necessary in a large-scale fight, and it had been obvious to any and all commanding officers that he should be called back upon diving into such a battle. A battle which had promised to be long, and which did indeed drag on without showing any sigh that it was going to come to an end anytime soon.

She hadn't liked him at the beginning. Even though Aizen had betrayed her, and maybe _because_ of his betrayal, she had refused to trust him. As much as the other captains and lieutenants seemed to like him, she wasn't about to go by the appearances again, especially since this was the man who'd proven to be horribly reckless and ready to fight against the Soul Society and go against the rules for a criminal. Kuchiki Rukia had been proven innocent, yes. But what if she'd really been guilty? Would Kurosaki have come for her and turned the Gotei 13 upside down for her anyway? She had no doubts the answer was yes.

And that reckless determination she had once interpreted as mere disrespect and insolence, she now understood as loyalty and devotion, and it was one of the reasons she was sure he would never betray her as Aizen had done.

Because Aizen had been working for himself.

And because Ichigo tended to forget himself instead, chosing to protect everyone around him.

o-O-o

The captains waited patiently for the last of them to arrive, nodding slightly as a Shinigami came to inform them he would be there soon. And indeed, a few minutes later, they saw the fifth division's communication tent's entrance flap open as their youngest member came in. He was dressed in his usual black gear, but they immediately noticed the difference.

It had been a week since the last captains' meeting, and the man had grown even thinner if that was even possible. He had dark bags under his eyes, and his cheeks seemed to have sunken in even more, skin so pale that the blood red stripe running down his face stood out more than ever. His hair hung limp around his face as he had it free from the hairband, something he usually only did whenever he was home. To see his hair untied in the middle of the desert of Hueco Mundo was sad, but there was nothing they could do, because it was partly their fault the young man had come to consider war as his home.

He nodded curtly at them as he stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground, slightly parted, hands clasped behind his back in an at ease position.

"Shihouin-taichou." The Captain-Commander greeted. "I take it you were successful."

"I was, Captain-Commander. The Arrancar nest has been integrally destroyed."

"Casualties?"

It was a formality. Everybody knew he'd gone alone, as his lieutenant had contacted them earlier to inform them that his captain had left alone with unknown motives and planned to return the next morning at the latest, all information and communication should therefore be passed onto her. The transition between captains had been far from easy for Hinamori Momo. Betrayed by the captain who had once saved her life before becoming her idol and being so nice to her, she had then been given a Hollow hybrid as a commanding officer, one who had never even gone through the Academy and had come to the Soul Society for the first time as an invader.

Though she had remained respectful and obedient, she had been very tense around him at first, not speaking unless he addressed her, and even then, she only answered with the mere minimum required. She had closed in on herself and become the model soldier, a nice, well-behaved machine, without the slightest hint of the lively girl Hitsugaya had once known. It had even come to the point where the other officers had started worrying and considering making her go into retirement, maybe become a teacher in the Academy as she had always been very kind and patient, and particularly talented in the Demon Arts. But right as they were about to broach the subject with her, there had been an attack, and Ichigo had saved the girl's life, getting severely injured in the process as he took the crippling blow that had been meant to end her life.

He'd been unconscious for a full week after that, and then stuck in bed for another, and if, at the beginning, she hadn't visited him, they had seen her sitting under a blossoming sakura tree, looking thoughtful with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms circling them.

She had visited him two days after he woke up. Nobody knew what had been said that day, as they had been politely left alone. But after that, she had changed, reverting back to her old self, though it was slow and she obviously had trouble trusting again after Aizen's betrayal.

And once again, the Gotei 13 could only watch as Ichigo worked his magic without even meaning to, giving its fire back to a seemingly hopeless case and helping a broken girl to stand back on her feet, stronger than ever.

"None."

It wasn't an answer they heard often, but it was one they were glad to hear every time nonetheless, a small blessing in times of bloodshed and violence, a light in the great darkness. Though Ichigo himself had grown darker than he used to be, he still remained a beacon of light and hope to his men and the other captains, and it was something for which they found themselves thanking whoever deigned to listen everyday.

"Excellent. You are dismissed. Lieutenant Hinamori will brief you when you have rested."

"Very well."

He gave a short nod and left. Hinamori stepped forward.

o-O-o

Time went by in a haze of blood, sand, black skies and white uniforms, torn black fabric and screams of agony echoing through the deserts of Hueco Mundo. The Shinigami captains led offensive after offensive, destroying a maximum of enemies and potential allies of Aizen's, making sure the Hollows he could change into Arrancars didn't live to be subjected to the Hogyoku's power. But then, three weeks after the beginning of the Desert War, as it had started to be known as, everything changed.

Kurosaki Ichigo, captain of the fifth division, Head of the Shihouin Clan and resident Vizard, was captured saving an entire half of the thirteenth division which, deprived of its lieutenant and led only by a sickly captain who was bed-ridden most of the time, only had two third-seat officers to rely on.

When they came back to camp, covered in blood and sand, the others and the two captains who had been sent for one to check on the squad and the other go and retrieve the lost Shinigami got a terrible feeling.

"What happened?"

Kiyone looked up tiredly, and straightened the better she could as she came face to face with Hitsugaya Toshiro.

"We were ambushed by several Espada, sir. They were about to wipe us out when Shihouin-taichou stepped in and saved us. He ordered us to get away and save the wounded."

Aquamarine eyes flickered over to Byakuya's impassive face, silently taking note of the noble's pursed lips.

"And? Where is he?"

The tension could have been cut through with a knife.

"We saw him fall, sir."

Sentarou's usually loud voice was quiet, very quiet, but everyone heard it as it rang through the now silent camp with just as much force as a clap of thunder. Byakuya's body stiffened to the point where Hitsugaya thought he would snap in half, but he said nothing.

"Which Espadas were they?"

"Segunda Espada Tia Harribel, Tercera Espada Ulquiorra Schiffer, Octava Espada Aaroniero Arleri and Novena Espada Yammi Rialgo, sir." Kiyone said softly, before bowing deeply. "I apologize for causing such a thing, sir. I will accept any punishment."

Byakuya looked at her silently, then at the rest of the division, who had bowed as a whole. It was if they were aware of the deep bond between him and Ichigo, though had never been affectionate in public, and had barely even had enough time to greet each other in the mornings since this fiasco had started. They lived in camps in separate parts of Hueco Mundo, fought and planned all day, and didn't have time for social calls or romantic visits. Ichigo, he knew, would have hated to see those people apologizing and feeling guilty for something they had absolutely no power over. He would have told them to stop being idiots and see the truth for what it was: it was his own fault and no one else's for falling in battle.

"Rise." He said. "Shihouin-taichou did not sacrifice himself for you to feel guilty about it. Honor him by getting stronger and fighting harder, and that will be enough to repay him." And with that said, he turned on his heels and left to report with a quick flash of Shunpo.

o-O-o

He woke up in chains, shackled to the wall with his Zanpakuto nowhere in sight. Not moving a muscle and making sure to keep his body lax and his breathing deep, he spread out his senses, only to wince as the flow of his reiatsu was limited to his wrists and ankles, where the cuffs holding him in place were clasped. Holding back a grimace of discomfort, he resorted to using his magical senses to get a feel of his surroundings, and found with an increasing sense of dread that he was in a very small cell with no windows and no door, though there was a hidden mechanism he couldn't reach which would make a portion of wall open up for his captors to come in through.

_Las Noches_.

He'd been captured. This was the worst scenario ever. He thought back to what had led to this, and let out a small sigh of relief as the distinct memory of the Shinigamis running away in the desert and disappearing from sight flashed through his mind. At least they had survived. Soul Society -Ukitake- really couldn't afford such loss.

His whole body ached. Cutting him off his reiatsu had effectively deprived him of his instant regeneration powers, and it made for a few very painful, very deep, gaping wounds which had been crudely bandaged by someone he could only guess didn't want him to bleed out before he'd been used to the maximum. Even so, he could see the distinctive dark red seeping through the white fabric and soaking the dressings and what was left of his uniform.

Molten silver and silky black flashed before his eyes, and he let them slide shut. He had no idea why Aizen had in store for him, but he was sure of two things. One, it would be very painful on his part, and two, he wouldn't like it one bit. He just hoped if they somehow managed to turn him against the Shinigamis, which the brown-haired bastard would absolutely _love_, they managed to put him down quickly. He couldn't bear the mere thought of destroying the ones he'd gone through so much to save.

The door opened, and he was faced with the blank face of the new Tercera Espada.

Kurosaki Ichigo braced himself, knowing the worst was yet to come.

And come it did.

o-O-o

"Not so proud, now, are we?"

Aizen looked down at the bloody figure collapsed at his feet, crimson pool slowly widening around him. He took a step back as the liquid threatened to stay his shoes, and smiled pleasantly.

"Will you reconsider?"

Through the haze of pain his mind had been drowning in for the past days -or was it weeks?- Ichigo barely had the courage to move his head to spit at the man's feet.

"Go... to... Hell!" He spat out a mouthful of blood just before breaking into a coughing fit, which only increased in intensity as Yammy, who was standing by him, kicked him violently in the ribs. He dimly heard the sound of a dry, mocking chuckle, but it seemed too distant for him to find the energy to even bristle. He felt tired, exhausted, wary to the bone. In the time since he'd woken up in the tiny cell in the depths of Las Noches, he'd been tortured in so many ways it was a miracle his mind hadn't broken already. Mentally or physically, Aizen had used any and all means at his disposal to make him pay for all the times he'd thwarted his plans.

And then, after days and days -or at least it seemed to have been that long-, he had uttered the fated demand. _Join me_. The answer had been immediate, almost automatic, like a reflex. _Never! _Again and again, Aizen had asked, and again and again, Ichigo had refused, with varying degrees of fierceness, which actually tended to decrease as they weakened his body and mind. His resolve never wavered, though, and he had made it clear long ago that he would rather die than change sides and betray the Soul Society. He hadn't broken.

But he feared he wouldn't be able to stay strong much longer.

As determined as he was, the lack of decent feeding, training and air, combined with the succession of torture sessions, beatings and other questionings and experiments were wearing his body out, and he could feel the life leaving him as time passed. He wouldn't be rescued, he knew. Las Noches was protected far too well, and held far too many powerful enemies for a rescue party to succeed, especially considering the way he was guarded 24/7. No, there was no escaping for him. He'd been aware of that ever since he'd fallen in battle under the combined attacks of Harribel and Ulquiorra. Of course, there had been the tiniest bit of hope when he'd woken up, discovered that he was _alive_ instead of born again or disintegrated into spirit particles, but then, he'd spread out his senses, taken in the gravity of his situation, and known that there was no chance he would ever make it out.

He just hoped they didn't dwell over his death. It had become clear to him when he'd gotten involved in Shinigami business all these years ago, that he would most likely not die a peaceful death, and he had come to accept it and even relish in the fact that he would fall fighting for what he believed in, protecting people he loved.

Never had he imagined it would be as a prisoner, but then again, he supposed he should have considered that scenario.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he only came to his senses when someone brutally lifted him up by his neck before throwing him back onto the ground a few feet away. His head impacted against the cold white stone with a crack, and his already dark vision blackened even more. He barely held back the nausea, but couldn't help a gagging sound. Light erupted behind his shuttered eyelids, and he barely heard the traitor's gloating over the erratic beating of his heart and the rasping sounds of his poor body trying to take in much-needed oxygen.

"...tired of seeing you refuse, so I shall take the choice away from you... After tonight, I will have a new ally far more powerful than all others, and the Soul Society shall crumble in despair as they behold my new elite."

The light surrounded him, and he vaguely felt his body become weightless, a sensation he willingly embraced as the gentlest touch against his broken skin was excruciating. What was happening? What had Aizen meant? What...?

Pain exploded through his entire being, not only his body, but his mind and soul as well, and he arched his back, screaming with his already broken voice.

o-O-o

His 'comrades'' glee was permeating the room, tainting the atmosphere with its perversion. He stood on the sidelines as Aizen activated the device, watching with barely restrained horror as light burst out of the ground and surrounded the beaten body of the hybrid captain. It rose in the air, and he vaguely remembered the process. He had fought, howling and clawing to try and get out of the prison of light, but Ichigo didn't. Instead of being made uneasy by the floating sensation, the man seemed to relax, and he realized that it must be the first time he didn't actually suffer through skin contact since he'd been brought in. It was heart-wrenching, and he could do nothing about it but wait it out and hope that an occasion would soon arise for him to get the willful fighter out of here and back to his brethren.

A shiver of movement caught his attention at the edge of his field of vision, and he spied the lithe figure of Lilinette pressing herself closer to Starrk, hand slipping into his own larger one as he glanced down at her, brown eyes full of concern. Her pale purple eyes gazed up at him for the shortest second, and Grimmjow almost started: they were filled with tears.

Starrk tightened his grip on her hand, before suddenly stiffening and looking up. Their eyes met, clashed together, before coming to an understanding. When the Primera looked back at the center of the room, Kurosaki Ichigo had found himself three allies amongst the enemy.

The light brightened, and the hybrid's back arched. His mouth opened, and for the first time since he'd lost his voice to one of his numerous torture session, he screamed. The two Espada and the small Fracción felt a shiver run down their spines as the only sound that came out was an excruciating gurgle mixed with a high-pitched sound which should never be emitted by any human throat.

o-O-o

Pain.

It was all he knew.

Pain.

The world was reduced to it, spinning around it, was it.

Pain.

His nerves were on fire, his bones were breaking, his limbs were twisting, back arching, muscles tearing, and he could feel himself writhing in agony as warm, too warm liquid filled his raw throat and lungs and slowly suffocated him as the frantic pulsation of his heart echoed deafeningly in his ears and thundered under his skull.

Pain.

Shiro howled in the back of his mind.

Pain.

Zangetsu's pain was silent but just as potent as Shiro and his.

Pain.

He could feel himself break.

Pain.

The last remnants of his sanity, draining away.

Pain.

The darkness was growing.

Pain, pain, _pain!_

He welcomed it with open arms.

o-O-o

Night -or what they called night as it was the time most of the castle went to sleep- had come, the best time for him to try and get his plan rolling. He slipped out of his rooms quietly, making sure not to awaken his Fracción, and started making his way down the endless white corridors of the castle.

"Where are you going?"

He froze, hand still on the handle of the entrance doors, before turning to face the impassive face of the Tercera Espada. The diminutive hybrid stared at him through dull orbs, not the slightest hint of emotion on his features.

"Hunting."

"At this time of the night?"

"I'm bored. And my Fracción snore so loudly it's impossible to sleep!"

He forced himself to stay still and relaxed under Ulquiorra's searching gaze, and did a small victory dance in his mind when the small hybrid nodded at last.

"Very well. But hide your reiatsu so that you do not encounter any Shinigamis. You are forbidden from fighting."

Well, that was a good thing, because he had no intention of killing any Shinigami. It would make it hard to convince them to listen to what he had to say. Outwardly, though, he scowled.

"Che. Whatever."

The doors opened and closed, and with a single pulse of Sonido, he was far from Las Noches and flying over the endless desert.

It took him longer than expected to reach the closest Shinigami camp. The damn Death Gods had managed to hide their whereabouts quite well, and to be quite honest, it was only due to luck on his part that he managed to find them. Of course, it barely took a few seconds for him to find himself nose to tip with a sharp Zanpakutô pointed between his eyes by a scowling captain, and he hesitated between annoyance and glee.

"Found you."

It wasn't the smartest thing to say, if the white-haired midget's tightening of his grip on his weapon was anything to go by, but the Espada found that he really didn't care. There was a much more important issue at hand than the opportunity to get a good fight out of the Shinigami.

"What are you doing here, Espada?"

"Let's talk."

o-O-o

In the end, with Starrk's help, the plan was easy to accomplish. Nobody even noticed the walls had been breached until a few Arrancars stumbled upon the rescue party. A small group of Shinigamis -composed of one captain, one ex-captain and the best members of the Stealth Force- broke in, was handed the unconscious captain's body by a traitorous Espada who wished for nothing more than to hightail it out of here before Aizen managed to get a hold of him and make him pay for his betrayal, and hurried away, stopping only to gape as the Arrancars who'd come to stop them were literally slaughtered by none other than an ever-smiling silver-haired former captain all clad in white.

Dark crimson eyes peered at them through half-closed eyelids, before the man whirled around with a flash of white and an enigmatic smile.

"Hurry... Byakuya-bo, neko-san."

It was barely a whisper, but the sixth division captain heard it clear as day, and shunpoed away, second squad members following closely.

As they hurriedly made their way over to the closest camp to get access to the secured Senkaimon, Byakuya refrained from looking down at the precious bundle in his arms. The body held tightly against his chest was still, far too still, and burning up with what he could only suspect was a raging fever. His breathing was ragged, short and shallow, and he could already feel warm liquid seeping through his own clothing.

This was bad. He could barely feel the other man's reiatsu as it was, and though it was flickering wildly, proving that he was struggling to stay alive, it was also growing steadily weaker.

The noble sped up.

o-O-o

The waiting room was full to the brim, Ichigo's friends had all come after hearing the news that he'd been freed. The Espada's presence in a shadowed corner of the room had of course caused an uproar, but explanation of his participation in the fifth division's captain's rescue had calmed those whose first instinct was to fight him to the death, and though they were far from trusting him, they at least accepted his presence in the room.

Finally, Unohana came out of the room, followed by Hanatarou. Isane had remained by Ichigo's bedside to make sure everything was okay and the wounded man had all he needed before she left. The blue-eyed fourth division captain looked exhausted, and it was no wonder, seeing as it had been hours since Ichigo had been brought in for healing and she'd started working on him. The gentle sound of the door sliding open had everyone jumping to their feet except for Byakuya, who didn't move from his position against the wall, and Grimmjow.

"How is he?" Renji asked forcefully but quietly, so as not to disturb his friend's rest.

"He will live." Unohana said wearily. They all shared triumphant glances. "But it will take time before he can go back to the battlefield. As it is, he should be unconscious for at least another week or so, before waking up. His body has been severely weakened, as has his mind, and he needs to recover from the damage. Though we managed to take the reiatsu-cutting cuffs, his spirit energy levels are still very low. Also..."

She paused, hesitated, but gave in when Byakuya's cultivated tones broke the silence in the room.

"Also?"

"Also, his powers will most likely be unstable for a while." Again, she trailed off. "Aizen has used the Hogyoku on him. He is now a full-blown Arrancar."

There was a mere second of deafening silence, before the room exploded in noise. They all quickly cut it off, though, when Unohana's reiatsu flared dangerously, eyes flashing darkly in anger.

"You will keep your voice quiet or you will remove yourselves from my division barracks. My patient has been dreadfully tortured for the past three weeks, and I will certainly not tolerate your slowing his recovery." That had the merit of shutting them all up, and they turned sheepish looks to her. "That's better. Now. Shihouin-taichou has been turned into an Arrancar, most likely a very high-level Espada. He will need training, but that only comes once he is fully healed. Therefore, he will not be going back to the battlefield anytime soon. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear." Byakuya said seriously. "Anything else, Unohana-taichou?"

"Not for the time being. I suggest all of you go back to your duties while I look after Shihouin-taichou."

And with that, she pinned them down with a steely gaze, clearly waiting for them all to leave, which they were quick to do, as the last thing they wanted was to be submitted to her wrath. Byakuya was the last to step out of the fourth division barracks. He stopped right out the main doors and tilted his head back to look at the stars littering the night sky, before letting his eyes slide shut. Ichigo had always loved watching the stars at night. He let his senses drown themselves in the familiar yet foreign feeling of his beloved's weakly pulsating reiatsu and basked in the knowledge that he was alive and would recover. Those three weeks had been pure hell to him. He'd captured and interrogated Arrancar after Arrancar, but they never knew anything of importance except that he was being tortured, was under strict watch and that Aizen regularly asked him to join, something he kept refusing.

The knowledge that he was utterly helpless and couldn't do a thing to help the man he loved was weighing heavily on his mind, and he had spent many a night lying restlessly on his futon in his tent, vainly trying to devise a plan to get Ichigo out of Las Noches.

Hitsugaya's call had been a blessing, especially given the news he'd brought: there was an Espada who was ready to betray Aizen and help them rescue the fifth division captain. Even better, he actually had two allies within the former Shinigami's castle, someone who would remain there and pass on any necessary information. It was a godsend, and though he'd barely believed it at first, he'd been quick to throw caution to the wind. This was Ichigo, and the noble knew for sure that had their roles been reversed, the once ryoka would already be running to the Espada and pumping him for information and ways to get him out. And so he decided, against all odds, to trust the Espada, and followed the plan. And it worked.

It actually worked.

Hard as it seemed to believe it, they were back in Seireitei, and Ichigo was still alive, healed and resting in a comfortable room of the fourth division's barracks instead of chained up in a small cell of Las Noches.

"Ya worry too much, he'll make it through. Always does."

He opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to look at the tall silhouette of the Espada standing beside him. The man's aquamarine eyes were staring at the sky as he himself had been only a few seconds previous, blue hair shimmering softly under the moonlight.

"Why did you save him?"

Aquamarine eyes flickered briefly over to his face before settling back on the night sky.

"Aizen's a bastard. No honor. Wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice us. But Ichigo's different. He cares. Even when we were enemies and he defeated me, he refused to finish me off, defended me even. He's good."

He left it at that.

And beside him, Byakuya merely nodded. Because he could understand that feeling. And it was enough of an explanation for him that he already knew the Espada would be staying at his mansion for the night.

o-O-o

It was a full week and a half before Ichigo finally woke up, only to find his mentor and aunt sitting at his bedside, looking utterly exhausted.

"Hey." She greeted in a soft voice which sounded extremely out of character considering her usual boisterous nature.

He opened his mouth to try and greet her back, but found himself choking and dry-coughing instead, grimacing as the hacking didn't go well with his still very sore throat. Instantly, Yoruichi was by his side, helping him sit up and raising a glass of water to his lips to stop the fit, before easing him back into a more comfortable position, back against the pillows.

"Ssh, don't try to talk yet. Unohana said you most likely wouldn't be able to for a few days after you woke up, and that's only if you take it easy."

Nodding tiredly, he looked at her, then willed his magic to form shimmering letters in the air.

_'What happened?'_

If she was surprised by the sudden appearance of the sentence hovering by his head, she didn't show it. Instead, she proceeded to tell him about everything that had happened ever since he'd been captured, how they'd looked everywhere, tried to find a way to invade Las Noches to free him, all to no avail.

"Byakuya was in a right state. He hid it well, of course, but he can't keep anything from me. He was completely torn over your disappearance, fought like a demon. I wouldn't have wanted to be the poor Arrancars who crossed his way." She shivered, then smiled reassuringly as she saw Ichigo's worried eyes. "Don't worry, he's okay now. I guess he's with Grimmjow."

_'Grimmjow?'_

"He ditched Aizen. It's thanks to him we actually managed to get you out of there. Him and another Espada." She didn't mention the fact that Ichimaru had let them go after actually eliminating the only thing which stood between them and the exit. They still hadn't puzzled out the reasons for his strange behavior, though Matsumoto's relief and hope had been painfully obvious to anyone willing to look.

A small smile formed on Ichigo's lips at hearing of the Espada's change of sides.

_'What about the others? The battle?'_

"The threat has been dealt with for the time being. Both sides are currently licking their wounds. I don't think there will be another attack anytime soon. And your friends are fine."

He nodded slowly, relief obvious in the way his shoulders relaxed at the news.

_'I'll have to return to Hogwarts soon.'_

She shook her head, chuckling. Trust Ichigo to think about his work before his recovery from three weeks of intense torture.

"For now, you should sleep."

And sleep he did, eyes sliding shut as he was claimed back by unconsciousness. Yoruichi drew the blankets over him and tucked them under his chin before standing from her chair, right as the door slid open. The sixth division captain stepped in, and she smiled as his eyes immediately sought out Ichigo's face. The exact nature of their relationship was pretty obvious to her, it was a miracle nobody else had noticed. She could only wonder, though, when the situation had changed from concealed feelings to a true romantic relationship.

"He woke up a few minutes ago and just fell asleep."

"How was he?"

"He got into a coughing fit when he tried to speak, but otherwise, fine, considering. He asked me about what had happened."

Molten silver immediately darted from the still figure on the bed to her face. She had to hand it to him, he had one intense stare.

"Did you tell him?"

"Most of it." She answered honestly. "But I didn't say anything about the change. It would have come as too great a shock. He wasn't ready."

Nodding approvingly, he shut the door behind him and went to take her place by Ichigo's bedside. "Thank you for looking after him."

"He's my nephew." She answered simply, before walking over to the door. "Take care of him, Byakuya. He deserves it." And with that, she silently left to inform Unohana that her patient had woken at last.

o-O-o

When he next woke up, it was to the delicious feeling of his lover's reiatsu gently brushing against his, dancing along his skin and giving off feelings of safety and warmth. He was feeling better, stronger, and his body ached far less than when he'd first emerged from his healing coma. Slowly, as he could feel the warmth of the sun on his left arm, he eased his eyes open, carefully waiting for them to adjust to the light, before turning his head to face Byakuya's sleeping face. The man was sitting on the chair Yoruichi had occupied, head nested on one arm where it rested on the bed by the wounded captain's hip as his other hand held Ichigo's fingers in a tight grip.

Smiling softly, Ichigo admired the way the sunlight danced in the silky ebony strands, savored the feeling of the noble's calloused palms around his hand, gaze lingering on the way their skins contrasted. Byakuya's was very pale, beautiful and delicate, while his was tanned and strong. Their hands fit perfectly together, he mused, absently noticing that he was getting atrociously sappy and out of character. But then again, he thought that after enduring grievous torture for three weeks on end and almost dying, he was entitled to rejoicing after making sure his better half was safe and sound.

He lay back on his pillows as it got a little harder to breathe and he started to feel a little dizzy, before closing his eyes to wait for Byakuya to wake up. God only knew how much the man had overexerted himself with the war and himself being bed-ridden and unconscious. The noble must have been worried sick. And Ichigo knew by experience that having something as big as a loved one on the brink of death was enough to have sleep evade you for weeks. Slowly, he began to retreat in his inner world, wanting to check on Shiro and Zangetsu, and make sure that everything was okay.

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was that it was nighttime. The sky was littered with stars, the constellations easy to spot as the last wispy remnants of a cloud faded away. Looking down, he was standing in the middle of a park, surrounded by the city. The once proud buildings, which used to stand sideways, were now a right-side-up mess: they had been thrashed, debris littering the streets along with pieces of glass and other construction material. Even as he watched, one of the buildings slowly straightened up and mended itself in the distance. It was a slow process, which no doubt mirrored the state of his physical body, but it would be okay.

Still, it didn't explain the changes in the landscape.

Looking around, he saw he was standing by a rather large pool. The water was calm, with a few lotus flowers reaching up and towards the sky, while sakura petals floated around and between them. It's only then that he realized that they'd been falling all the while, and a quick glance up confirmed that he was indeed standing under a magnificent blossoming sakura tree the flowers of which glowed in the night and lit up the place in a mystical shine. It was beautiful, and eerily reminiscent of Byakuya and his sword. Maybe their new found relationship was linked to this strange? But then, what about the night and the right side up buildings?

"_This is the consequence of what Aizen did to us."_ A familiar voice said from somewhere on his right, and he whirled around to face the spirit of his Zanpakutô, only to gape as he took in the cloaked figure next to him.

"Zangetsu... And who are you?"

"_Later, Ichigo."_ Zangetsu said gently. _"For the time being, you need to understand what happened to you."_

"Where's Shiro?"

"**Right here, King."**

He jumped as the Hollow materialized a few feet away from him, then frowned. His white twin looked hesitant, shy even, something which had never happened in the seven years they'd known each other.

"Are you okay?"

"**I'm fine, King."**

Ichigo frowned. Something was off, why did Shiro look like he might jump him anytime, and who was the person standing by Zangetsu? What was happening here? His scowl deepened as he took a closer look at his Hollow. The man was standing in a pool of shadow, as if he didn't want to be seen, and the hybrid scoffed.

"I'm not going to bite, you know. Why are you so far?"

Shiro _squirmed_, and Ichigo felt his eyebrows shoot up, before Zangetsu's soothing voice echoed again through the air.

"_Focus on your reiatsu, Ichigo."_

Knowing better than to ignore his Zanpakutô's advice, he obeyed, closing his eyes to analyze his spirit energy. Barely two minutes had passed before they flew open with a gasp.

"What-? But how-?"

"_Now you understand the pain, Ichigo."_

He turned to Zangetsu, then back to Shiro, who tensed when he took a timid step closer.

"He made us into an Arrancar?"

Shiro nodded.

"**Yeah. Righ' bastard tha' one. Turnin' us upside down. Nasty as 'ell."** He shuddered, and Ichigo reached for him.

"Are you okay?" He repeated, concerned, only for the Hollow to look at him in barely concealed surprise.

"**Aren't ya gonna kill me?"**

Ichigo stopped and frowned, feeling confused.

"Kill you? Why? It's not like it was your fault, right?"

"**But it makes ya more 'ollow than Shinigami."**

Ichigo stared, bewildered. "And so what? It's not like you wanted it or anything! Anyway, doesn't this make us stronger? We still have our Shinigami powers, don't we?" He glanced at Zangetsu for the answer, and he nodded.

"_Your second blade has also now materialized in your inner world, which it hadn't before. You will both have to train and master Arrancar powers."_

"Come on," Ichigo said to Shiro, "let's meet your Zanpakutô."

Slowly, the Hollow stepped out of the shadows, and Ichigo eyed his markings as an Arrancar with interest. The change was in his face, where a small part of white mask was clinging to the right side of his head, a long, single horn protruding forward. The red stripe which had once run down the whole length of his face had transferred to the bone-like material.

Slowly, Shiro tugged at his top, displacing it to reveal a gothic number tattooed on his collarbone.

Zero.

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><p><strong>Hehe, I'm evil! You know you love it. <strong>

**Please review? **

**05.05.2012: I edited two words _sparklefreeze_ pointed out were incorrect. Sorry for the inconvenience^^!**


	21. AN: Explanations & Awesome Reviewers

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry for doing this, I hate ANs as much as everyone, but this is important. **

**_Mijuh_ and _completely love the twists_ pointed out that they felt the whole capture and turning into an Espada things were a little rushed. I didn't answer _Mijuh_ (sorry, _completely love the twists_, fanfiction doesn't anonymous reviewers to get replies) right away because I wanted to think about my answers and take another look at the chapter to see if I could have added anything. I found that I couldn't have, and right as I was about to start writing, _sparklefreeze_ sent me another one of their miracle PMs (again, I love you!) and wrote the whole answer for me, with details etc. It's like they read my mind!  
><strong>

**So, I posted this, especially considering that it replied _mangafox_'s concern about Ichigo's family being told he'd been captured. **

**So, without further ado, here's _sparklefreeze_'s awesome analysis of the chapter: **

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><p>"hey there, I was just scrolling through the reviews and thought I would like to throw in my take as well.<p>

regarding why family was not informed of ichigo's capture, I thought there were many reasons actually. One, ichigo had previously said he would abandon his sisters if it comes down to it. Two, it is mentioned that his sisters were never told about his injuries and only know he's alive when he actually gets home. Three, there is nothing his family can do but worry in this situation and Ichigo, and likewise Byakuya would not burden people like that. Four, Hogwarts is not prepared for the war as yet and knowledge reaching the school via the twins serves no purpose in the plot at this juncture. Five, I would dare to deduce that the author means to portray the increasing isolation of Ichigo from everyone especially now that he becomes a full-blown arrancar.

which brings me to the other critic of how this chapter has been rushed through.. It is true that everything that happens in this chapter could stand alone as another fanfic with quite a few chapters if the author so desires. However, do you want to read maybe 3 or 4 chapters with no mention of Hogwarts? It is a cross-over after all and requires that balance. Also, are readers happy to delve into the minds and reasons of Aizen & the other arrancars and have plot delayed for another chapter? It is a story about Ichigo and Byakuya and Hogwarts first isn't it? I found it quite artful that the author dealt with Grimmjow's reasons with that quick dialogue with Byakuya actually. It answered the 'why' that readers are bound to ask in a manner that is not unlike the arrancar's character; forceful, direct, no nonsense. And the story goes on. It is possible that what Grimmjow saw in Ichigo was their similarities. I find it implied that the arrancar could not bear to see such strength being crushed so dishonorably because Grimmjow saw ichigo as an equal.. And more so now that they are both truly arrancar.

another thing to chew on.. I liked the tone the author used for the chapter - distant, impersonal, almost nonchalant. Notice that the emotional flashbacks and reactions came from others and not ichigo himself. I like to think this tone is reflective of ichigo's own mindset. This is probably how he becomes when faced with war. 'Time flashing by in shades of black and white', not an exact quote but enough to understand why the chapter is 'rushed'. It really isn't, because it is how ichigo experiences it. Anything inconsequential to ichigo himself gets flashed by because it doesn't matter. That's how I interpreted the chapter and came away with a tinge of sadness and ache for this ichigo who cannot spare any emotion for himself in the face of war. That's also perhaps why I really appreciated the beauty that Ichigo had thought of Byakuya in his captivity.. I loved how subtle the reference was.. And so very precious, much like how their love is."

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><p><strong>Seriously, <em>sparklefreeze<em> says it all!**

**I also wanted to thank the people who wrote an explanation to help me edit the mistake in chapter one: _Xandre_ and _Tenki-chan_ (if there were others, sorry, I missed you^^!). Also thanks to _ladyyuuki16_ who's been reviewing this story since forever, and to all of you awesome guys and girls who review and follow my story... I love you. **

**On a whole other note, does anyone know _Two Steps From Hell_? God, I discovered them yesterday, and I've been listening to 'Heart of Courage' over and over again ever since. It's brilliant. More than brilliant. Fan-freaking-tastic! If you don't know them, seriously, listen. It's worth it. **

**Til next update! **

**Bye-bye! *Foxy grin***

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><p><strong>0-0<br>**

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><p><strong><span>05.09.2012:<span> _sparklefreeze _wrote me again**:

"Hi there all,

It's nice to see how many of us are taking time to post our thoughts on the story like this. It kinds of prove that we really really love it enough to put in such effort. I'm just going to add in some random things I may have missed out previously since it was so frustrating typing a review on a Touchpad that I just skimmed through and got it done.

Hmm, I guess first thing was to explain why I said 3 or 4 chapters of Seireitei would be required if the author had went on to let us understand everyone's motives. The author is someone who strikes me as pretty 'anal' in the sense that loads of stuff such as emotion, gestures, looks tend to be described to a very exact detail. Very little is left to doubt or speculate unintentionally. I would think the author has often struggled to phrase sentences or find words to precisely convey what he/she means to say or to explain everything exactly right. Which is why, if character development were to be believable and comprehensive, I believe a mind like Aizen's will take no less than a couple of chapters for our dear author in question to get through. And in a chapter describing war, where doing outweighs thinking, it's just not a good place to begin and halt that momentum in its tracks.

'He left it at that.'

This quote has been in my head for the days after I've read the chapter. It still makes me laugh a little. I sort of thought it was like an appeal to us readers to 'leave it at that' and not ask so much yet.. For there is a reason I suppose, if the author has openly acknowledged that he/she is indeed 'leaving it at that' for now, knowing it is not adequate.

I recall a question about Grimmjow and Starkk's betrayal. I had an answer for the Grimmjow part, saying it was due to his belief in honor as a warrior. Starkk though, I believe he saw himself in this Ichigo.. Someone slowly being consumed by solitude, someone who does not want to but has to fight this war, someone he had perhaps wanted to save from a fate of loneliness like his own. I find that I cannot answer though, why the author uses the words 'heart-wrenching' if Hollows have no hearts as this reviewer points out. Lilinette's tears too suggest an element of empathy that Hollows are supposedly incapable of feeling. Perhaps like the reviewer suggests, becoming half-shinigami has imparted some humanity to these beings. Or perhaps too, the realization that Ichigo can have feelings so strong despite being so much like them in essence has brought up the possibility of it being the other way around. Also, having no hearts does not equate to an inability to feel right? As I remember right for example, Halibel loved her minions enough to want to avenge their deaths. Obsession, loneliness, jealousy, rage, pride, emptiness.. These are all emotions are they not? In any case, I would like to think the author means to portray Ichigo as inspiring the best in every being that he meets.

What else to say? Hmm, I absolutely love Shiro's relationship with Ichigo in this story!I loved Gin's active part in the rescue for a twist.. There's more to it isn't it? Also, to the author.. I think you missed a word here, "Maybe their new found relationship was linked to this strange?". Again to the author, I had forgotten to thank you for the chapter dedication earlier.

That's about it for today. Until next chapter then!"

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><p><strong>So, I have an answer about the "heart" thing. To be honest, I didn't really think it would be an issue or anything, it hadn't really crossed my mind, but I have an answer for it anyway. <strong>

**First and throughout all the anime/manga, the Espada showed various emotions: Grimmjow's bloodlust and anger and hatred, Starrk's loneliness and affection for Lilinette, Nnoitra's hatred for Neliel, Nel's fear when she saw Ichigo dead (she _cried_ for Heaven's sake! What heartless being does that?)... Even Ulquiorra, to some extent, showed a hint of emotion at the very end, when he started to understand the heart. And then, as _sparklefreeze_ pointed out, Harribel.  
><strong>

**While Hollows may not have feelings, Arrancars do, otherwise, they would all be Ulquiorra clones, or at least that's what I think. I guess this comes from the fact that they got Shinigami powers, and it's very possible that their return to a human form is symbolic of the return of their feelings and emotions. They still have the hole, but they feel anyway.  
><strong>

****And the missing word was "development", I think, but I'm not sure... Sorry, hehe *scratched back of her head sheepishly*. **  
><strong>


	22. A Hero's Return

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everyone! Here's chapter 21, enjoy! (Yay, not much to say, I'm exhausted^^!)<br>**

**I'm doomed, people. I have yet another Xover idea hammering at my poor brain, it's horrible. I'm trying to finish this before I start something else, though, as I already uploaded _Sorrowful Tears of the Moon_...  
><strong>

**Anyway... Chapter, yep.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 21:<span>

"Your BUSE are fast approaching, so I strongly suggest you start reviewing your lessons if you haven't already. Don't forget that those exams are very important for your future: the more BUSE you get, the more jobs will be open to you."

Karin sighed, tuning out McGonagall's speech. She turned her head and looked out the window. The snow had only let up the day before, and the grounds were covered in a thick layer of white. The constant pressure she'd been feeling had disappeared, but she still felt what could only be qualified as an aftertaste in her mouth, bitter and acre, refusing to go. She knew what it was. How could she not? She lived in a clinic, and with a brother who'd constantly been in trouble ever since he was a child because of his hair color and then, after that, when he'd gotten involved with the Shinigamis and their bloody battles.

It was the stench of blood, spilled in large quantity. She couldn't help but be terrified at the thought that for the feeling to be so strong, something terrible must have happened, something she couldn't imagine, something she _wouldn't_ imagine, because the mere idea made her want to throw up and curl up to hide in a hole somewhere with Yuzu, never to come out again. She sighed. Sitting beside her, Yuzu raised her head and looked at her, eyes darkening as soon as she noticed what she was looking at. Though the blonde couldn't feel spiritual beings like she did, she still knew the storm wasn't natural, just as she could feel something was wrong.

Shaking her head to reassure her mutely, Karin squeezed the offered hand and went back to her contemplation.

It had been a month.

Thirty long days since their brother had left, heading to war and an apparently desperate situation without looking back, thirty endless nights spent wondering if he was alright, if he wasn't dying somewhere, or grieving for his friends, or even already dead. Four weeks of constant wondering and hoping and praying and trying to ignore the concerned glances from their Seventh year friends, Severus' worsening mood, Isshin's poor attempts at cheering them up and fake goofiness, and Lucius' presence.

Dumbledore had been quick to find a replacement. The blonde, however, had made it clear he was only there as a substitute, and firmly intended to give the position back to Ichigo as soon as he came back. He was only there as a favor, he said, nothing more. And she believed him, because he was Lucius, and he would never take the job from her brother, whom he was so close to. But he was still the Defence teacher, and seeing him everyday only reminded her and her kindhearted twin that their brother was off somewhere, fighting a bloody battle he might very well never come back from. Yuzu had burst into sobs after two weeks without hearing from the Shinigami, and Karin had had to escort her to the infirmary. Lucius hadn't said anything, just given them the day off, and told them they didn't have to attend his class until they were ready to do so.

Karin couldn't have been more grateful.

"Miss Kurosaki!"

She jumped slightly, turning to McGonagall's frowning face.

"Yes, Professor?" She asked politely.

"What did I just say?"

She looked down briefly. Her hands were neatly folded on top of the table, she noticed, and for a second, she hated that she had subconsciously adopted the manners of a Pureblood lady. Ichigo was the only one who was actually supposed to behave like a lord, not her, and she quickly hid them under the table.

"Sorry, Professor, I don't know."

"I can see that." The woman said drily. "Five points from Slytherin."

Karin sighed as the deputy headmistress turned and headed back to the front of the classroom. She'd been awfully distracted lately, and though she knew it was only normal to be worried about her brother, she hated that the teachers were going easy on her by merely taking points when they should have been assigning detention. It was their way of showing they cared, she supposed, though Severus had been the only one to act as usual, if not worse. He and Lucius were both concerned about them and Ichigo, and there was nothing they could do. Knowing them as she did, she could tell that what they hated most was their utter inability to do anything to remedy to this unbearable situation.

The bell rang, and she quickly gathered her things before heading out the door. Blaise was waiting, leaning against the stone wall across the classroom with his arms crossed over his chest, and she admired his lithe body once again, the way he held himself with casual elegance, the way his dark skin seemed to blend in the shadows, the soft luster of his curly black hair. He wrapped a gentle arm around her waist and they walked away to the Great Hall, where Theo and Yuzu were quick to join them, along with the rest of the Slytherin Five and the Golden Trio.

The couple shared an amused glance when they saw just how close Harry and Draco were standing, but neither commented. Both boys had been growing steadily closer over the past month, thanks to their project on The Ways of the Mage at first, and then when they had started hanging out just for the fun of it. Both groups had agreed that they didn't have to hide their blossoming friendship, and that revelation, though it had been an earth-shattering shock to the school, had quickly led to a gradual change of atmosphere between the houses.

Ichigo would have been proud, Karin thought sadly. But Ichigo wasn't here, and wouldn't come back for God only knew how long.

"You're sitting at our table today." Harry grinned at them, and the Slytherins groaned in unison, though it was more of a formality than really sincere. The Gryffindors were loud and boisterous, and generally the complete opposite of them, and the atmosphere had been tense when the group had first decided to alternate between their tables. Luna had added herself to the mix, saying that it wouldn't be fair to the Ravenclaws if the stars of the school sat with all houses except hers. She was a strange girl, but the twins were quite taken with her and she with them, which made for a very odd, but very deep friendship.

Together, they walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down at the end nearest to the Head Table. The students had been quick to catch on their habits, and this side had pretty much officially become theirs.

o-O-o

Ichigo sat in the Shihouin gardens, enjoying the peace and quiet and the soothing fragrance of the sakura trees. He was grateful for the eternal spring of the Soul Society, and thoroughly enjoyed resting on the mansion's grounds. The staff all knew not to disturb him unless it was an emergency, and the elders also knew better than to come and annoy him. It was his safe haven, his very own piece of paradise, and he wasn't about to let go.

It had been a week since he'd been discharged, and he had already made arrangements to go back to Hogwarts the next evening. The battle had lasted over three months in Hueco Mundo time, which was barely one in Earth time, but it was still too long for him, especially considering the fact that he'd spent almost a third of that time locked up in the enemy's stronghold, being experimented on. He had spent the days since his release from the fourth squad barracks resting and recovering, and getting his reiatsu back to an acceptable level. Training was out of the question while his injuries weren't completely healed, something Unohana had made very clear, adding for good measure that if she caught wind that he'd been straining himself, she would put him on bed arrest for a month.

The threat, uttered with utter calm and a sweet smile, had been enough to ensure he wouldn't disobey her orders, and so it was that he left most of the division running to his lieutenant, only doing part of the paperwork, and had his aunt Yoruichi take over his Clan Head duties for the time being. He hated it, but it was, as Byakuya had nicely pointed out, necessary.

"Excuse me."

He opened his eyes to see Hinamori making her way over to him, a tray of tea and biscuits in her hands, which she set down in front of him before sitting herself.

"How are you today, taichou?"

"Good." He smiled. "Yourself?"

She handed him a cup of tea. "Alright. The division is doing well, and the men send their greetings. They say they hope you get better soon."

He smiled at that, touched by his subordinates' concern. "I'm already better, Hinamori."

"You know what we mean." She merely answered with a stern look. "Anyway, I heard you were leaving again tomorrow evening. Don't overdo it. If you do, I will send Unohana-taichou after you."

"I'll be good." He promised with a shiver.

They fell silent for a while, enjoying the quiet and just watching the koi fishes swim around the pond. Hinamori had been amongst the ones to visit him regularly. Despite her other duties as his lieutenant, she still came at least four times a week to make sure he had everything he needed, rested as much as possible, and didn't overexert himself. She also brought him the paperwork, which she was also the one to take away once he was done with it. Though she would never admit it, his doing some of it was a huge relief to her, but as perceptive as she knew him to be, she had no doubts he was perfectly aware of that, and it was one of the reasons he insisted on doing it, and on her steadily increasing the amount.

She left after a while, only to be replaced by the captains of the thirteenth and eighth division, both with their arms laden with different varieties of chocolate and pastries. Kyoraku also had a jug of sake stuck under the arm, much to his lover's disapproval.

"And how are you on this fine day, Ichigo-kun?" The man asked cheerfully.

"We heard you were leaving tomorrow." Ukitake said with a gentle smile. "We brought sustenance."

Ichigo smiled at that. They all knew chocolate wasn't really the best diet, but he had a really serious sweet tooth for it, and absolutely loved it when someone offered him some.

"**Chocolate!"**

He started as Shiro materialized by his side and rushed forward to try and get the precious substance from the white-haired captain's arms, only to find himself held back by his collar as Kyoraku scratched his chin.

"Well, well, look at this. Don't you look dashing, Shiro-kun."

"**Lemme go! I wanna eat chocolate!"**

Ichigo snickered at that.

"Come on, Shiro, let the poor guys sit down before jumping them. They actually work during the day, you know."

Grumbling, the Hollow stopped flailing his arms, and Kyoraku took that as his cue to let him down. He still watched them as a hawk as they took their seats, though, and dashed forward as soon as Ukitake had set the packages down.

"No more than three, Shiro."

The Arrancar looked up, horrified, lips already stained with brown.

"**That's unfair! Ya always get more!"**

"It's because I'm not as easily sugar-influenced as you are."

"**Come **_**on**_**!"** Shiro whined, but Ichigo shook his head.

"Okay, four, but not a single one more. Understood?"

"**Che, fine."**

Carefully choosing the chocolates he wanted to eat, he stood and went a little off to the side to try and savor them in peace. Smiling fondly, Ichigo turned to the two older captains.

"He reminds me a little of Yachiru. And Hirako." Ukitake said, earning himself a snort from Ichigo.

"Tell me about it. He's so whiny at times I want to bash my head against the walls so that I can have some peace and quiet at last."

"Ma ma, Ichigo-kun, don't be so violent. We all know that wouldn't do much since he's already inside your head. You would only be hurting yourself."

Ichigo glared.

"Don't you think I know that already? Anyway, what's happening in Seireitei right now? Hinamori wouldn't tell me anything."

Ukitake sighed and took a sip from his tea.

"Not much, to be honest. We are fixing what little damage was done to the buildings and, counting the dead and wounded, elaborating new defense strategies and analyzing the information we got during the Desert War."

Ichigo snorted. "Desert War?"

"They hesitated for quite some time between that and the Hybrid War, but decided the second one sounded far too derogatory considering their most-loved captain is actually part Hollow." Kyoraku said with a crooked smile, raising his cup at Ichigo, who shook his head.

"Ridiculous." He muttered. "It's not like I did any more than the other captains."

And without waiting for the answer, he changed the subject. The two captains went along, mostly because they knew how much the younger man hated to be praised and put in the spotlight for doing things that were only his duty as a man of honor and a fighter. It was kind of sad, actually, to see how he didn't realize how loved he was, both among his friends and the Seireitei as a whole. In spite of his Hollow part, he was well-known as the best captain, scary as hell upon first meeting, intimidating because of his war accomplishments, seemingly unlimited power and noble status, but extremely caring once you got to know him and followed him in battle.

The story of how he had sacrificed himself for half of a division which wasn't his and been captured and tortured for three weeks straight had already gone around Soul Society, and the Academy itself was buzzing with it, students doing their best to get more information. The Women's Association had managed to get a picture of him in various situations such as in a fight, in his tent, giving orders, covered in bandages in a hospital bed for a special article dedicated to the Desert War, and the issue had sold out so quickly they had had to get another batch printed to satisfy the herds of people ordering it. There was even a poster of him in the magazine.

Of course, everyone had been most careful to keep this from him, as they had no doubt he wouldn't react too well to being idolized like that. In the end, though, everyone save Byakuya participated, because they felt he deserved it, and because it brought them some entertainment to see the starstruck looks on the lesser Shinigamis and Academy students' faces when they met him in person. That, and the way Ichigo would always be confused by how they knew so much about supposedly top secret information, and why they looked up to him as if he were a god, which he certainly wasn't.

After all, what god had nightmares at night which made him relive the horrors he'd been through at the hands of the enemy during his three weeks of captivity? What god failed to protect his friends, led them right into a war which wasn't theirs and was so very unable to contain his own power that he ended up giving them powers of their own?

But Ukitake didn't know that, nor did anyone in the Seireitei, and Ichigo kept his problems to himself, knowing that his friends were burdened by enough problems as it was without him adding his own personal issues to the load.

A few feet away, Shiro bowed his head and pushed the last chocolate away, suddenly not feeling so hungry anymore. And, seated across from a young captain, two lovers shared a concerned glance as both noticed the new darkness in their kohai's already far too old eyes.

o-O-o

They stood on Sokyoku Hill, their hair gently waving around their heads as a soft breeze blew swept over the landscape. The others had all said their goodbyes to the fifth division captain early so that he might have the last moments alone with Byakuya. Their relationship was obvious to anyone willing to look, and those who hadn't noticed had been not-so-subtly threatened by their more observant comrades into leaving the pair alone on the day of Ichigo's departure. Of course, only the two men had no idea why it truly was that they were alone right now, but could only be thankful for this small amount of alone time together.

The past week, though mostly boring for Ichigo, had been extremely busy on Byakuya's part, as he had to juggle his captain duties with his work as the Kuchiki Clan Head which, in the aftermath of a battle so long it was called a war in itself, was far from a walk in the park. Therefore, the two nobles had barely seen each other in the past three months, and it had been more taxing to be close to each other without being able to get a single moment of peace than to be a dimension apart.

And now, Ichigo was leaving again.

They stood face to face, eyes locked, so still they could have been mistaken for statues had they not been breathing. They didn't say anything. They didn't need to. And then, they were in each other's arms, and their lips were joined in a kiss full of passion, sadness, love and the relief that they were both okay, the hope they would see the end of this war and actually live to enjoy the aftermath together. For they had no future in this instant, and Aizen's threat looming over their heads was a threat that put a terrible chill through their hearts and soul at the very thought that they might be alone for all eternity.

_Trust me._

Their eyes locked again as they parted softly, leaned their foreheads together and closed their eyes, arms wrapped around strong shoulders and a slim waist.

_I won't die._

They inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the other's touch, his scent, the feeling of his body under their fingers, in their arms.

_It's a promise._

A bell rang in the distance. Behind them, the Senkaimon opened. And Ichigo's eyes were dull when he stepped out of Byakuya's protective embrace.

_I love you._

Molten silver eyes followed his every movement as he slowly got closer to the ancient doors, watching as he stopped right before walking in.

_I will be strong. _

He turned his head to look over his shoulder, taking in the straight figure of his lover, the firm set of his jaw, the delicate arch of his brow, the pale shade of his flawless skin, the movement of his silky hair in the breeze.

_I love you. Just..._

In a flash, he was back with him, and their lips had met again, hands roaming through their hair as they kissed with the desperation of men who knew they had every chance of never seeing the other again.

_Just don't die._

The Senkaimon closed.

o-O-o

He reappeared at the gates of the school. The sun was getting low on the horizon, coloring the sky around the turrets with soft purple and pink shades and shining through the colored glass windows. It was Sunday evening, and almost dinner time. There were high chances, given the fair weather, that a lot of students would be out on the grounds, enjoying the first days of spring. March was already here, and he found himself musing on how much of the real world he had missed while fighting in Hueco Mundo. How were his sisters faring? He was ready to bet that the two Slytherins would have cleverly made their move while he was out of the picture. Isshin would only go cry to a poster of Masaki and babble incoherently about growing daughters and grandchildren, thus embarrassing said daughters and the new boyfriends.

He smirked at the mental picture, then turned back to the school and started making his way up to the castle, glad that Urahara had made sure to get his body to him so that people wouldn't gape at the strange bone-like piece of material attached to his jaw as he heard several exclamations along the way, from students who stared at him like they'd never seen him before. He was quick to reach the Entrance doors, and went to take the direction of the Headmaster's office from there, but never made it as he was tackled by two black blurs. He hissed under his breath as the brutal move jarred his still sensible wounds, but composed himself quickly as they looked up at him.

"Ichi-nii!"

"You're back!"

Rolling his eyes, he patted them on the head. Karin noticed with a start that they had become a startling shade of blazing gold, almost yellow. She shivered at the memories of the very same color glaring down at her from the holes of a mask worn by a gigantic monster.

"Of course, I am back. Why would you think otherwise?"

That had them stepping back, and he was vaguely surprised to see that even sweet Yuzu was glaring daggers at him.

"Maybe because you were at war and haven't sent word in over a _month_!"

"Well," he snapped, annoyed at being verbally attacked as soon as he'd arrived, "you will forgive me for the lack of postal system in Hueco Mundo. I will make sure to notify Aizen to set one up. Now if you will excuse me, Captain Unohana ordered that I eat well or she would put me on bed arrest for a month under her watch."

And with that, he swept past them and over to his father, who was waiting along with the rest of the staff, leaving his sisters to stare at his retreating back in silent bewilderment. The wizards greeted him warmly, obviously glad to see him back safely. Lucius and Severus also showed their relief in their own manner, Severus by snapping at him that he looked like hell had swarmed over, and Lucius by squeezing his forearm tightly as they greeted each other. Then, he came face to face with his father, and they looked at each other for a moment, Isshin's features serious for once as his eyes raked over his son's tall body, taking in the scars, remaining bandages and obvious weight loss. The war had taken a heavy toll on Ichigo, he could see it plain as day, and there was a new kind of sadness in his eyes, the type which he had first seen in his own when he'd realized Masaki wouldn't ever come back, that he wouldn't get to hold her in his arms again, hear her laugh and see her twirling around in the living room when her favorite song aired on the radio.

Separation. Grief. Longing.

It was so very obvious he felt like he'd been punched in the stomach at the realization. He'd noticed they'd gotten closer, of course, but they'd been getting along spectacularly ever since the beginning of the War seven years ago and Ichigo's introduction as Lord of the Shihouin Clan. Byakuya had taken him under his wing, helped him to run the clan, and with meetings by ponds under blossoming sakura trees, long walks around their respective estates and talks over tea, they'd become almost inseparable.

And then, there was the war camaraderie. The mutual respect between powerful and talented fighters, the trust between sparring partners and bond as brothers-in-arms.

But to think it actually ran so deep that the icy captain who'd closed his heart even to his own sister would let his son in... To think that Ichigo, who'd protected his heart under layers and layers of coldness and distance, would actually trust it in the hands of one apparently so aloof and uncaring as the sixth division captain... It was mind-boggling.

He understood the emotion lurking in his son's eyes. Deeply. And so, gently but still in a very manly way, he embraced Ichigo's strong shoulders and clapped him on the back, before pulling away.

"_I'm glad you're safe._"

Ichigo smirked. "_Takes more than a few flimsy Espadas to kill me, old man._"

The former captain narrowed his eyes. "_You were taken._" It wasn't a question, just a statement, and Ichigo felt it right away. "_Your reiatsu has changed._" His eyes widened in horror as a thought struck him."_Did he-?_"

A quick glance at the few Japanese-speaking people around.

"_Let us talk about this later, Dad._"

The older man's face turned grim and he took a step back, but nodded anyway, a dark glint in his eyes.

"So," he said cheerfully, "Unohana ordered you to eat? I'm gonna have fun making sure you obey her to a T! C'mon, son! Let's fatten you up!"

Elegantly shrugging his father's arm off his shoulders, Ichigo barely refrained from rolling his eyes.

"_Somebody help me, goat-face turned into a mother-hen..._" He muttered in Japanese. Severus snorted, while Lucius shook his head.

Isshin beamed.

o-O-o

It was the Gryffindors' turn to sit at the Slytherins' table. The atmosphere was quite subdued, as the twins just kept watching their brother as he ate at the Head Table, quietly conversing with Severus and Lucius, while the rest of the staff eavesdropped in a very unsubtle manner in hopes of getting details about what had happened during their younger colleague's absence. Unfortunately for them, Ichigo didn't mention it in the least, and they had to listen to him getting updated on what had been going on at Hogwarts while he was away, a topic which quickly had them turning away and starting another discussion together.

"Ichi-nii looks very stiff." Yuzu murmured dejectedly.

"Does he?" Harry looked closer, and nearly did a double-take. The teacher was barely moving as he ate, and... was that bandages peeking out from under his collar? "Are those bandages?"

"He did just come back from war, you know." Theo pointed out. "It's obvious he'd have been injured. I mean, how could someone go off to battle for a whole month and come back unscathed? It's impossible!"

Karin glared.

"Nothing's impossible with Ichi-nii."

Blaise raised an eyebrow at the obvious conviction in her words, but said nothing.

"If you say so..." Ron eventually dropped, looking thoroughly disbelieving.

They ate in silence for a while, before Yuzu paused and turned to her sister.

"_Doesn't his reiatsu feel different to you?_"

Karin's fork hit her plate with a clatter as she tensed, abruptly dropping it at the question. Concerned, Yuzu reached out for her.

"_Karin-chan?_"

"_What do you feel, Yuzu?_"

The blonde's large gray eyes widened at her twin's tone, and she faltered.

"_Karin-ch..._"

"_Just tell me, Yuzu._"

"_I-_" She swallowed, trying to clear her suddenly constricted throat. Something was wrong, horribly wrong, and she didn't like it one bit, because it was causing her sister distress, and...

"_Yuzu._"

"_Yes._" She concentrated. Apart from Isshin and Ichigo, who'd been trained for it, Yuzu was the best reiatsu-sensor of the family, as she'd been the one unable to see ghosts for the longest, which forced her to rely on her other senses to detect their presence and nature. Their intentions. It was a very useful skill, one she'd developed to the maximum as soon as she'd found out about Shinigamis, Hollows and the war so that she'd be able to sense incoming allies or enemies, and help protect her family and friends by warning them. Focusing on the burning energy which was her brother, she followed the small tendrils escaping his tight control on his spirit power back to the source, and gasped, rearing back as if she'd been burned.

"_Yuzu!_"

"Yuzu!" She ignored the group's startled exclamations in favor of raising fearful eyes to her brother, completely unaware of the word she'd blurted out until Ichigo froze with his fork midway to his mouth to turn to her.

"_Espada...! Espada...!_" She gasped, completely unable to overcome the shock of her discovery. The darkness was too much, too strong, suffocating. It had been quite a long time since she'd gotten a clear reading of her brother's reiatsu, but she knew despite its share of darkness, the Hollow part had never been so potent, so... strong.

"_Yuzu, calm down!_"

She vaguely heard Karin's voice in the background, but it faded as she heard that laughter again, and that crazy eye looking down at her as it kicked at her, waving around its giant crescent moon-shaped Zanpakutô and sending her flying into the ruined walls of what had once been her home, now reduced to a pile of rubble and dust. She could feel that ominous pressure as he amused himself crushing her bit by bit as his slowly rising reiatsu cut off her air supply, flattening her against the ground. She could hear Karin's cries not too far away, screaming her name, her pleas for him to let her go, to kill her instead...

SLAP!

She came back to reality as Karin's hand snapped her head to the side, and raised a bewildered hand to her cheek before turning to look at her twin, whose gray eyes she found were full of determined concern.

"_Get a hold on yourself! It's Ichi-nii, not that bastard Nnoitra!_"

It's only then that she realized that she was trembling, and she quickly ducked her head to hide her face from the group's eyes, only too aware that the staff seemed to have seen her little breakdown, though the students were far too engrossed in their usual drama to notice her. Twisting her fingers harshly, she bit her lower lip.

"_What happened to him? He feels... dark. So dark... So much pain and grief... Tired... So tired... Pain..._" She closed her eyes, willing the tears to disappear and her eyes to stop stinging. Her chest was hurting with the effort and the deep sadness she could feel from finally getting a good reading of her brother's feelings, and she felt ashamed, so very ashamed for adding to his burden, for worrying him, for rejecting him when all he wanted was to protect her, to protect them, and sacrificed so much for it...

Karin seemed to realize the situation despite not having felt what she did, and wordlessly pulled her close to her chest, embracing her tightly while shutting the others up with a single look. They'd talk later, but for now, Yuzu needed to hold herself together to keep up the appearances until dinner ended.

Glancing up, she noticed that their friends had repositioned themselves so as to shield them from the rest of the room, and felt immensely glad they'd found such good friends here, friends who were actually wizards too. It felt good to be understood to some point, and she couldn't be any happier except if the war finally ended and Ichigo made it out safe and sound too. Then her happiness would be at its peak.

They hugged, and as the youngest twin gathered her composure, the rest of the group resolved, through silent shared glances, to find out what had distressed her so. What did "Espada" mean? What had she said when speaking in Japanese? Ichigo's absence had negated the need for translating spells, and so they had dropped them, but they found that they would have to cast them again if they wanted to find out more about the secretive teacher and his war. What was the man hiding?

At the Head Table, Ichigo looked away.

o-O-o

That night, as soon as he felt the ambient reiatsu turn from a tumultuous sea into a smooth lake with small ripples -testimonies of the sleepers' dreams- and a few bubbles here and there -the few people still awake-, Isshin left his quarters and walked quietly up to the Astronomy tower, where he could feel his son's presence through the tiny sliver of reiatsu he let out of his perfect control on his power. The castle was quiet, students and magical objects alike sleeping, and he could only enjoy the silence as it wasn't found too often in a school filled with hormonal teenagers.

He paused on the threshold. Ichigo was standing at the edge of the parapet, long hair fluttering in the slight breeze from under the hood of his cloak, back very straight as he looked up at the moon, swords carefully strapped to his back.

"Dad." He didn't turn. He didn't need to. Isshin knew very well that Ichigo had been perfectly aware of his presence since the moment he'd stepped foot on the stairs.

"What happened?"

He kept his voice calm, collected, knowing that whatever it was, it hadn't been easy on his son, and after such a long battle, he would need rest more than anything, not someone to antagonize him. Ichigo kept silent for a while, and Isshin was starting to think that he wouldn't get an answer when the hybrid's voice finally echoed through the night.

"Half the divisions were sent to Hueco Mundo to take down as many of Aizen's forces or potential Arrancars and delay an invasion. My squad was amongst those, along with Byakuya's, Hitsugaya's, Hisagi's and Ukitake's. But you know him, he's sick and still overworks himself. One day, I intercepted a call for help from one of his seated officers, saying that they'd been ambushed by several high-level Espada in the desert. Our campsites were separate so as not to attract too much attention, of course, but they were closest to my position at the time, so I went there." He paused. "Half the division was there, but there was no one there strong enough to so much as withstand Ulquiorra's reaitsu, let alone combined with Barragan and Harribel's. I ordered them to run as I fought. I was taken."

Isshin closed his eyes in defeat, already imagining what had followed that horrid statement.

"I was held prisoner for three weeks. I don't remember much, except that he divided my time there between questioning, experiments and torture to get me to join him. I said no. In the end, he took me to his throne room. And changed me." Slowly, he turned to face his father and allowed the hood to slide down to his neck, revealing the dark mask fragment and the sharp horn protruding from his skull. "He made me an Espada."

He kept his features carefully blank as his father's gaze studied him, taking him in slowly, waiting for the ex-Shinigami's reaction. Finally, the older man closed his eyes and sighed.

"I thought this might happen. I'm just glad it didn't turn out like Aizen had hoped it would."

"I'm not brainwashed." Ichigo stated calmly, though he could feel the corner of his lips twitching at this small victory. They needed things to rejoice about, and him keeping his mind and memories, his free will, was definitely something to be satisfied over.

"Of course you aren't." Isshin scoffed. "You're the strongest person I know. No one could ever brainwash you. But, son-" he stepped forward to place his hands on the hybrid's strong shoulders, "I'm happy you're safe."

They stared at each other for a second, eyes clouded over with emotion as the fact that Ichigo could very well never have come back from Las Noches sunk in fully.

"I'm glad I'm back." He said softly.

They fell quiet for a while, before Isshin nodded, seemingly satisfied with what he was seeing in his son's eyes, and stepped back, arms falling to his sides.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Train. We need to learn Resurrección, and to master our powers. We still have several months before the end of the year. Then, once the school term is over, I'll head back to Japan, with or without the wizards."

Isshin paused at that.

"Didn't Yama-jii order you to get them as reinforcements against the wizarding attacks?"

"He did. But I'm not sure they can be brought to the same level. And we're short on time. Desperately so."

Deep brown eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"That bad?"

Ichigo nodded slowly, reluctantly. "Unfortunately, yes. The captains are overworked, they often go several nights without sleeping, and the fourth is overwhelmed. I don't think they could do much if they didn't have Inoue. We still have two captain-less divisions, and that means more work for two other captains, who as a consequence have less time and energy to fight the enemy. And while Arrancar are easily replaceable, Shinigami are weaker and fewer in number, and need extensive training before we can even consider sending them to the battlefield."

"Why not promote some of the lieutenants? Abarai does have Bankai and the ability to lead a division, and Yoruichi, for example, could very well take over the other division."

"She doesn't want to go back to Seireitei." He didn't say that the betrayal she, Urahara and the Vizards had undergone had been tough on her. He didn't need to.

"Even so. If you tell her it's only for the duration of the war, she might agree to put on the haori." Isshin paused. "Also, consider appointing a temporary captain who could lead the men of the thirteenth in battle if Ukitake is indisposed. Though I have no doubt they greatly love their captain, having a powerful leader to follow and take orders from during a fight might be good for the men's morale. I will in the meantime look for a remedy for his disease in the Living World."

His son looked surprised.

"Wouldn't Unohana have thought about it?"

"Unohana is old, though she may not look like it, and the fourth squad never go to the Living World, so it's quite likely she has no idea of the progress of mortal medicine."

Ichigo nodded thoughtfully. "That would be good. I will write your suggestions in my report tomorrow." He turned to leave.

"When will you start training?"

The answer brought a smile to his lips. Vizard, Shinigami, Arrancar or human, his son was the same.

"I already have."

And with a quick goodnight, the young man was off in the dark, heading for bed and a much-needed (and deserved) rest.

* * *

><p><strong>So? What did you think? <strong>

**If anyone wants to get a better look at Ichigo's Arrancar mask, think Tensa Zangetsu merged with Shiro when Ichigo trains to learn the Final Getsuga Tenshou.  
><strong>

**Hope you liked it! (And that there weren't too many typos/missing sentences/words/spelling mistakes, that kind of thing, lol!)  
><strong>


	23. Yoruichi

**Da****wn of the Moonfang  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

* * *

><p><strong>Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay, I got completely overloaded this week, things to do just started coming at me left and right, I could barely breathe, lol! Anyway, here's the chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I'm glad you still like this story! Also, this is dedicated to <em>Maverick14th<em>, please, please update your stories! **

**So... chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 22:<span>

It was only a few days after Professor Kurosaki's return that everything went downhill.

The man had resumed teaching and the students had been happy to start learning from him again. Lucius Malfoy was a good teacher, of course, but there was just something about the Japanese Lord that brought them in, captivated him and made them want to learn. The way he taught somehow made things easier to remember, and they absolutely loved the fact that he didn't hold any fondness for theory, keeping it to a minimum and favoring hands-on exercises instead. After his return, though, he didn't participate as much as he used to, settling for watching and correcting, giving tips as he walked amongst the practicing students rather than actively taking them on and demonstrating. It was obvious by his stiff movements that he was still recovering from his injuries -how severe they had been, no one knew, but they had to have been quite serious if he was taking it easy.

The rumor mill had been going wild ever since his reappearance, speculation going high about what kind of injuries he could have suffered, if he'd been taken prisoner and tortured, if he'd killed his enemies, how many men had fallen to his wand, and so on, and it wasn't even two days after he'd gotten back that someone actually had the guts to ask him about it. The subject came up at the Order of the Phoenix meeting Dumbledore had called to 'welcome' the young DADA teacher or, in other words, to interrogate him about his war.

He arrived last, as usual, but given that his still sensitive wounds forced him to walk at a slower pace than usual and that he still had a lot of work to do besides teaching classes, it wasn't all that surprising. They were shocked, however, by how tired he really looked as he sat down.

"So, my boy, we would all like to welcome you back and assure you of our relief in seeing you back safe and sound."

"Thank you, Headmaster." He managed to keep the boredom out of his words, but knew that the old man and the most perceptive Order members had noticed, as Nott's lips twitched, Hermione coughed to hide her smile, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled more than ever. "Why did you call this meeting, if I may ask? I am quite busy at the moment."

"Of course, of course, I imagine one month's worth of late paperwork is nothing pleasant to catch up on... I'll keep this short, then. How did this battle go?"

They all watched his reaction with bated breath, but he merely looked extremely disinterested as golden eyes gazed lazily out the window.

"In our favor. It was not easy, of course, and we had quite a lot of injured, but I am quite pleased to say we suffered less casualties than the enemy."

"An enemy you have yet to say anything about..." The old mage hinted not so subtly, as brown and gold came to rest piercingly on his face.

"Do you really wish for such information, Dumbledore? Our conflict is not to be trifled with. Our enemies are powerful, and easily replaceable, which means that getting involved would make it necessary for you to undertake intensive training and accept the idea of learning the Forgotten Arts."

"You mean Dark Magic." Ron said, surprising everybody by his calm tone.

"Indeed, Mr Weasley, that is what I mean, amongst other things. I am afraid there is no alternative if you wish to at least be on an equal footing with our enemies."

"You still haven't named them, my boy."

Ignoring the infuriating 'my boy', Ichigo let his eyes slide shut, wondering how to put this while not mentioning the Spirit World. It was no easy task, and he found himself staying silent a few minutes during which the tension in the room kept increasing.

"Seven years ago, three of the highest ranked officers in the Gotei 13 turned traitor and left the Seireitei. We learned later on that their goal was actually to kill the King and for their leader, Aizen Sôsuke -or Sôsuke Aizen, as you would say in English- to take his place." He paused. "While this might not seem too serious as they are only three and we are ten plus the entire Gotei, those three individuals were amongst our most talented and powerful, and they have been recruiting other powerful individuals, sometimes entire clans. As I have already mentioned, Japanese war is a bloody instance, violent and ruthless. Torture, while not being something we condone, is pretty much a common way of interrogation, especially in times such as these, when the King himself is endangered."

He fell quiet, letting them think about what they had learned.

"Miss Kuchiki?"

"Rukia is a close friend of mine, and the sister of Lord Kuchiki, meaning that she holds great importance in this war. Were he to die" his eyes turned steely at the mere thought though his voice didn't betray any of his emotion "she would be the only heir to the Head of Clan position. Aizen therefore has double reasons to have her killed: first, to get to me, and second, to unsettle the Kuchiki Clan."

"Because they're amongst the most powerful Clans in Japan." Hermione said, earning herself an approving nod on her Professor's part.

"Correct, Miss Granger."

"And that makes you another prime target, doesn't it?" Sirius intervened. "Because you're the Head of the Shihouin Clan, and don't have an heir."

"Indeed."

"What about your sisters?" Harry asked, looking surprised.

He hesitated briefly.

"My sisters don't meet some of the... criterion required for being acknowledged as a potential Shihouin Clan Head."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed slightly, silently thanking Zangetsu and Shiro as they whispered encouragements to him from his mindscape.

"A select type of power, for one. Their core, as dark as it is, is far too light to meet the requirements. Their power levels for another. They are powerful enough to make very good witches, but nothing like what is needed to pass the tests. And then, there is the mindset necessary for battle."

Draco narrowed his eyes calculatingly.

"You mean the ability to kill."

"Indeed."

He said it very coldly, as if it wasn't of any importance to him, and yet, they knew that he was waiting for an explosion. An explosion which, surprisingly enough to all of them, didn't come.

"When did you first kill?" It was Harry who'd asked the question, unsurprisingly enough, and he turned a grave look on him.

"When I was fifteen."

There was an outcry.

"Surely your father wouldn't let you go off to war by yourself at such a young age!" Molly Weasley exclaimed, looking utterly shocked.

"My father had very little to say in the matter, as I was already autonomous by that age, Weasley-san." He said coolly. "What is more, the Lordship of the Shihouin Clan was to be passed on to me upon my seventeenth birthday, so it was not too wide a gap in time."

He was clearly not traumatized, so they thought it wise to change the subject. Though not quite subtle, it was effective in redirecting everyone's attention on the matter at hand.

"You said a few weeks ago that this man might decide to take over the whole world?" McGonagall inquired curtly.

He almost snorted.

"I doubt he would be interested in this backwards country. However, his taking over the throne would most likely have heavy consequences on the entire world, be it wizarding or muggle. He makes no difference between races when it comes to having them serve him, much as your Lord Voldemort used to."

The gasps at the name clearly didn't impress him as he looked at them disdainfully, before turning back to Dumbledore as the old man cleared his throat as a means to ask for more explanations.

"Aizen is a very powerful, charismatic man. He actually was known as the nicest captain in Seireitei for years before his betrayal. Everyone loved and trusted him. This ability gives him the power to gather an army extremely quickly, or seduce nation leaders into listening to him and complying to his wishes. What he wants, though, is all for his personal interest, with no regards to what is good for the world. Consequently, I think we can safely say you do not want him on the throne of Japan."

He kept silent for a while, before rising to his feet.

"If you will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course. Thank you for answering our questions." Dumbledore said, and with a nod, the DADA teacher was out the door and out of sight, footsteps fading away.

The gathered wizards looked at each other, not quite knowing what to think or say. The idea of getting in another war, one much bloodier than the one they had already lived through if what Kurosaki had said was anything to go by, was less than appealing, but they couldn't deny the fact that their staying out of it might cost the entire world its freedom. Of course, the man could have been lying, but there had been nothing but honesty in his words, and he hadn't seemed to keen on letting them join either, chosing to warn them of what they risked by clearly stating what awaited for them should they decide to fight alongside the Japanese army.

It's in that conflicted state of mind that they were dismissed, the Headmaster telling them they would reconvene a week later to talk about this after having had the time to mull over what they had learned. For the time being, they would think about it and try to come to a decision.

o-O-o

He exited the office at a quick pace, not glancing back as the gargoyle slid back into place and concealed the entrance to the Headmaster's chambers again. Classes were over for the day, and he nodded curtly at the students whom he walked past in the corridors and greeted him a little too warmly in his opinion. He noticed with satisfaction that students from different Houses seemed to be mingling more than when he'd left, but then focused back on what had happened in the office.

The wizards had apparently finally understood that there was no way they would be spared from the Japanese war. Whether they got involved or not, its outcome would have consequences on them, either by the keeping of the current _status quo_, or by a revolution of the world order. His eyes hardened. That was an option he refused to consider, because as long as he was alive, he would _never_ allow it to happen. Aizen had taken far too much from him to be allowed to win this war and take over the Three Worlds.

This also meant, however, that he would need to reveal what he was to them soon, along with the existence of Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. They wouldn't be pleased, and neither was he to have to brief them about such complicated structures, but he didn't have a choice, and if they chose to fight, then they would need to know what was really happening: he was quite sure being faced to an Espada or a Shinigami while in a fight wouldn't do them any good -especially if they didn't even know what they were, and if they were allies or enemies.

He spotted his father's broad shoulders a few feet ahead of him, gesturing wildly about as he talked to Severus, and he couldn't help but smirk at the dumbfounded looks of the nearby students, still amazed even after months of that happening to see the sour Potions Master listening to such a foolish-looking man when he'd belittled his students for merely _breathing_. Quickening his pace, he stopped when he came up to them.

Black and brown eyes immediately snapped to his face, and he inclined his head to the Potions Master, whom he'd not seen much of in the past week. As soon as he opened his mouth, he slipped back into his native tongue, safe in the knowledge that the man would understand him perfectly and answer in the same language.

"_Severus._"

"_Ichigo. You look better._"

"_Thank you." _He paused, then turned to his father. "_I am going back to Seireitei for a few hours, to check on my division and make sure there is nothing important the Captain-Commander needs to tell me._"

Isshin grinned stupidly.

"_Of course, Ichigo, my son! Come back safely!_"

His idiocy radar blasting at full volume and shrieking for him to hightail it out of here immediately, he nodded at Severus again, ignoring his father, and started to walk away, only to freeze in shock as Isshin blurted out something he'd never thought he'd ever hear from him.

"_All my love to Byakuya-bo!_"

Inwardly gagging, he almost ran to his chambers, where he abandoned his body on the bed before opening a Garganta and leaving through it.

o-O-o

It was a bright morning when he arrived. The portal had left him at the top of the Sokyoku Hill, as usual, and he took a minute to take a look at the Seireitei from up there and assess the progress in the rebuilding, before shunpoing away and to the place where he could feel his lieutenant's reiatsu.

He stopped in a shadowed spot of the Academy training grounds, and stood there as he watched his lieutenant help a class of sixth years with their training, under the watchful eyes of the Zanjutsu. He looked on approvingly as Hinamori stopped one of the kids, a young man with wild hair and bright eyes, and showed him how to put more strength in his blows, the trainee nodding enthusiastically all the way through her explanation, before trying again -and succeeding, which earned the girl a bright grin. Another girl, who'd been stealing glances at him, blushed at that, and Ichigo rolled his eyes.

Love stories...

Then again, he wasn't one to talk, as he had managed to fall in love with a man who'd actually severed his soul chain the first time they'd met, before leaving him to die in a deserted street of the human world. Not exactly what you'd call romantic. Shaking his head to himself, he concentrated back on the practice, just in time to shunpo in front of a girl who'd slipped and fallen. In itself, that wouldn't have been a problem, had her partner not gotten carried along by her own momentum, and about to stab her. Two students screamed as Hinamori turned, alarmed and the teacher made to interfere, but Ichigo knew they wouldn't be fast enough.

The Zanpakutô swung down, then froze in the air as he wrapped his fingers around the blade. It wasn't a _nodachi_ anymore, he could feel the pulse of the blade's own reiatsu, but he doubted the girl was aware of that yet. Whoever she was, she would need at least several months of training before even thinking of reaching _Shikai_.

He was pulled out of his musings by the girl's gasp and let go of her Zanpakutô, before stepping to the side and casting a quick glance at the girl lying on the ground. She was fine if a little shocked, and he turned back at Hinamori's exclamation.

"Captain!"

The students all stood at attention, staring unabashedly, and he couldn't help but glare at his lieutenant for giving him away, though at the same time, his distinctive hair, along with the crimson stripe running down his face, didn't do much to help him go around the Soul Society incognito. The girl obviously didn't care, though, and merely stared back.

"Hinamori."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check up on the division. Has everything been going well?"

She nodded vigorously.

"The men have good morale, _taichou_."

"That is good. Anything else?"

She shook her head.

"Not really. The rebuilding is going well as there wasn't much damage done to the Seireitei in the first place." She paused, and in her eyes, there was all the admiration and gratitude of the world, because he'd been one of those who'd made that possible, who'd held back the enemy and prevented the Arrancars from wrecking havoc within Soul Society itself, and bringing war to thousands of powerless souls and Shinigami such as the Academy students who would have made easy preys to the blood-thirsty Hollows.

He looked away, feeling utterly inadequate. He was no hero. People had still died, and though the losses really _had_ been limited by Seireitei's quick counter-offensive, he wasn't anything special. Other captains had fought, other Shinigamis, and to be truthful, to him, the true heroes were those who didn't have anywhere near his power levels and still went to fight an enemy in far greater number and strength.

There hadn't been too many casualties in his squad, nor in the thirteenth, he'd made sure of that. Several officers had been wounded, but it was nothing truly serious, and he could only thank Kami or whoever wanted to listen for this blessing. Hinamori would always remember how, even though he was still weak and could barely bear his weight, he'd gone to express his condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of his fallen squad members. She reckoned the people he'd gone to talk to wouldn't forget it ever either: the image of a captain everyone knew to have been tortured by Aizen for three weeks, covered in bandages and barely conscious forcing himself up and out of bed to attend the funeral of a handful of unseated officers and talk to their families wasn't, after all, something easily forgotten.

It had made his popularity go through the roof even though he was already famous and well-admired, and even though everyone could now physically see that he was part-Hollow. It was widely known that despite all appearances, despite his blank mask and frightening power levels, Shihouin Azrael was perhaps the most attentive captain you could find apart from Ukitake, and that he would willingly put his life on the line for anyone, be it one of his close friends or a mere soldier.

The Shinigami Women Association, of course, had immediately jumped on the occasion to sell more of their magazines, and the 'Special Shihouin-taichou' issue had sold out almost as soon as it was printed, forcing them to reprint and hire Hisagi's services -willingly or unwillingly, so that they could answer the constant orders. The next issue was supposed to be about the 'Heroes of the Winter War', namely the Captains, and already had a huge part of it dedicated to the 'Silent Hero' pairing, or in other words, the supposed romance between the two Lords-Captains, Shihouin Azrael and Kuchiki Byakuya.

Hinamori herself didn't give much credit to that rumor, though it was true that the two men were quite close, but then again, seeing as they were the only two captains who had to lead an entire clan on top of their division, she guessed it was expected of them to seek council in one another and discuss noble matters together.

She pulled out of her thoughts to focus back on the man himself as he looked quietly at the students whom the teacher had sent back to their practice. He then turned to her.

"Continue. I will stay here and watch for a while before going to the barracks."

"Yes, Captain!"

She bowed slightly and then hurried off, calling the students to attention and explaining a new exercise.

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall, watching calmly, vaguely aware of the glances both teacher and students kept shooting at him. He didn't move when suddenly, with the tiniest displacement of air, a white haori was suddenly fluttering next to him, but instead turned his head to look at the newly-arrived captain of the thirteenth division.

"Ukitake-taichou."

"Hello, Ichigo-kun. I see you came back as expected."

The younger captain raised an eyebrow at that, but refrained from asking about the statement, not really interested by the answer. The man elaborated anyway.

"We thought you would stop by some time this week to check up on your division."

Tensing slightly at the implication that he was actually becoming predictable, Ichigo remained silent, waiting for the white-haired Shinigami to get to the point.

"I- wanted to thank you for what you did."

Another raised eyebrow was his sole answer, and he chuckled to himself. In spite of all their differences upon meeting for the first time, Byakuya and Ichigo had actually ended up being very alike.

"You saved my division, and I know you paid a very high price for it. Thank you."

He kept it short and simple, knowing that the younger man didn't like to be praised for things he felt were normal. Pretty much everybody was acutely aware of exactly how much their youngest captain had done for them, and how he felt about himself. The fact that he refused to acknowledge his deeds as heroic was appalling in itself, as everything about him seemed to fit exactly that description: he was powerful, unbelievably so, strong-willed, kindhearted, and had proven time and again that he wouldn't hesitate to endanger himself to save anyone he felt was worth it. And it was that very aspect of his personality which had managed to earn him the loyalty of some of his enemies over Aizen, to the point that they'd helped him escape the traitor's stronghold.

He knew what had happened, of course, as did most everyone in Soul Society despite the fact it had been classified, and there was no doubt he would find a way to pay back his debt -if he even considered it could be paid. Knowing him, he would just add the Sexta, Primera and Starrk's Fracción to the ever growing list of people he had to protect. With a small sigh, he turned back to the young captain.

He was watching the practice intently, eyes unwavering as they went from one pair to the other, taking in skills and flaws, analyzing everything, from the students' fighting form to their reiatsu levels and overall potential.

Those eyes were strong eyes. Ichigo's gaze had always held a strong determination, of course, the will to protect, it was what made him take up the blade in the first place. But as the years passed and battles followed each other in an endless stream of blood and violence, the once bright and clear hazel, then mismatched and now bright golden orbs had grown darker and darker until they had become the steady, unwavering gaze of a seasoned warrior. It was a look, Ukitake thought, that no twenty-two year old should ever sport on their faces. But Ichigo did, and it had only grown worse after his three weeks of captivity.

They hadn't tried to talk to him about it, _make_ him talk about it. Sadly enough, though the young man drew people to him like moths to a flame, there were only a select few he allowed close to him, and Ukitake knew he wasn't amongst those. Of all the individuals in Kurosaki's 'Inner Circle', though, he was quite sure the only one who he would ever open up to concerning his captivity would be Kuchiki Byakuya. Because the humans wouldn't know how to react -Inoue would burst into tears, Chad and Ishida would be at a loss for words, and Rukia and Renji would one way or another be pressured into talking about it to other people.

Byakuya, though...

The two nobles had become extremely close ever since their chaotic meeting, and Byakuya... Byakuya would understand. He would know how to offer comfort, and he would be the one to help the Shihouin Lord rise again from his ashes. He wouldn't be able to restore the youth and childhood the boy -man currently standing by his side had lost forever as soon as he'd started seeing ghosts, only to be dragged into a war he shouldn't ever have had anything to do with.

Closing his eyes mournfully, the white-haired captain settled for merely offering silent company for the time his junior would stay at the Academy. God knew the man must feel terribly lonely at times.

o-O-o

He shouldn't have stayed so long. That was the only thought crossing Shihouin Azrael's mind as he nodded absently at something the Headmaster of the Academy was babbling about, his gaze sweeping over the crowds of students who'd come running as soon as they'd heard the infamous captain of the fifth division was there. The teachers hadn't been far behind, and the Headmaster had insisted on giving him a tour of the place since it was very well-known he was the only Shinigami never to have attended for any period of time, and become a captain straight away.

They were currently walking down the hallway towards the dining hall, and he could only thank God that it was the last part of the tour. His wounds, though mostly healed, were still tender and were starting to sting like hell, and he doubted his legs could take the strain of standing and walking around like that for much longer. Gritting his teeth, he pushed some more reiatsu in his feet to act as a cushion, and made sure not to let his discomfort show on his face. He would get an earful from Unohana if she ever heard of this, that he was sure of.

"Kurosaki."

**'Busted, King.'**

_'Thanks, Shiro.'_ He answered sarcastically as he turned around to face the stoic aquamarine gaze of the tenth division captain.

"Toshiro." It was an unspoken agreement that as long as the prodigy got to call him by his last name without any honorifics, Ichigo was allowed to call him by his first name, though the white-haired captain still put up a front of disliking it, and true to that, the rebuttal came quickly:

"It's Hitsugaya-taichou to you, Kurosaki." He paused, looking him up and down, the temperature dropping with each second that passed. "I thought you were supposed to take it easy?"

Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. "Headmaster Sakuya was giving me a tour."

Cold aquamarine eyes pinned said man in place. "Then the Headmaster obviously hasn't heard of Unohana-taichou's orders for you to avoid standing or walking around during extended amounts of time."

The Shinigami broke into a sweat. Obviously, he hadn't known. Glaring at him, Hitsugaya chose not to say anything, and instead turned to leave.

"Come, Kurosaki. You can barely stand as it is. Unohana-taichou is going to murder you."

Holding back a shiver at the foreboding feeling the prodigy's words had just made run down his spine, Ichigo shook his head almost fondly and nodded at the Headmaster.

"Thank you for the tour, Sakuya-san. I will most likely come back in the future."

The man dove into a low bow. "Thank you for your visit, Shihouin-taichou. Forgive me for making you stand for so long, Shihouin-sama!"

"It is fine." He said with a small smile. The man had only meant well. And it was good for the Gotei's morale to see the captains mingle with people weaker than themselves. "See you later."

And he disappeared in a blur of shunpo, immediately followed by Hitsugaya. The Shinigami present sighed in relief once the temperature in the room went back to normal.

o-O-o

It turned out that Unohana wasn't the only one to give him a tongue-lashing. Rukia didn't miss her chance, and as soon as she got within earshot, started screaming at him for his carelessness. Then came Renji and Ishida, the more vocal ones, as Inoue merely stared up at him with big teary eyes, and Chad stared long and hard, the intensity of his gaze enough to convey the whole extent of his strong disapproval. And then came Yoruichi.

He cringed from the hospital bed he'd been forced into as her catlike silhouette appeared framed in the doorway, expecting another reproachful outburst, but she only slid the door closed behind her and walked closer to him, before sitting herself down on a chair by his bed. She eyed him critically for a few seconds, before heaving a sigh, golden orbs momentarily veiled by thick lashes.

"What am I going to do with you, Ichigo?"

Her voice, usually so jovial and strong, was full of a weariness and heart-wrenching sadness which completely unsettled him, and he blinked at her in confusion.

"No matter what you think, Ichigo, you're not indestructible." She whispered, running a gentle hand through his hair. "And I know that all of this has been taking a heavy toll on you. You're strong, but you can't just go around carrying the weight of three worlds on your shoulders."

"That's what I am, though, Yoruichi." He answered gently. "Human, Wizard, Shinigami, Hollow... Neither and all of them at once. That's how it is and there's nothing either of us can do about it."

Her hand paused in his hair as her large golden orbs gazed sadly at his marked face, lingering over the piece of his Hollow mask.

"I wish there was something I could do to help. Anything. Even if you only need someone to listen..."

She didn't expect him to take her up on the offer. Ichigo had always been someone very private, who almost never talked about whatever was on his mind. He preferred dealing with his problems all by himself so that he wouldn't be considered weak. He was strong, though, so strong! And yet, she was very much aware that amongst all the people drawn to the charismatic captain, only one had the privilege of having his heart, and it was the cold Kuchiki Clan Head. It was a match made in Heaven -literally, but she could only hope they managed to find each other and trust each other enough to breach such sensitive subjects. If she had correctly guessed the current nature of their relationship, though, they had yet to reach that stage, and that made it all the more difficult.

"I-" She was surprised when he started talking, but immediately focused entirely on him, silently waiting for him to get whatever it was off his chest. He needed it, and if she could carry at least a fraction of his burden, then she would be happy to do so.

"Karin and Yuzu kind of..." He paused. He didn't know how to put it. "They expressed their... displeasure at my constant fighting." There was more to it, she knew. "We haven't talked since them, except for work-related issues."

Again, she let her eyes slide shut in consternation. _What have you done, you foolish, foolish girls?_

"There's nothing you can do, Yoruichi. But thanks anyway."

And she knew by looking into his eyes that he was truly sincere. Nodding gently, she kept running her hand through his hair until he'd fallen asleep, and she stayed there to watch over him while silently thinking about the way she was going to tell her selfish nieces off. It was only right that someone come and put them in their places: after years on end of being protected and just relying on others to survive, they had grown complacent and even dared to be reproachful of their brother even though he'd gotten involved in Shinigami affairs because of them in the first place. Most of his suffering had come from his desire to protect them, and she wasn't about to let the two little brats keep destroying him from the inside on a whim.

She needed her nephew, and she needed him in one piece, strong and proud as he'd always been. Not that ridiculous shell of a hybrid that he'd started turning into ever since the beginning of the war, and even more so since he'd taken his sisters to Hogwarts.

The sound of the door opening, then closing behind her pulled her from her thoughts, but she didn't need to turn to know that those silent footsteps and quiet reiatsu belonged to her once pupil. She didn't feel like tormenting him today, though, and given the look in his eyes, neither was he. He looked utterly exhausted, worried and sad, and she couldn't help but sympathize. Loving someone as danger-prone as Ichigo was never easy, even though Byakuya could be sure his feelings were reciprocated tenfold. The captain of the fifth wasn't one to lead people on, and when he gave his heart, it was entirely.

"How is he?" It was only a murmur, and she smiled at his carefulness.

"Exhausted mentally and physically."

He nodded. "He always takes on too much."

They fell silent for a while, before she finally asked the question that had been plaguing her for quite some time already.

"You... you're together, aren't you? You and him."

Molten silver eyes glanced at her briefly before going back to their examination of the man passed out on the bed.

"We are."

She dipped her chin.

"I thought as much." A pause. "He will need you, you know. Don't disappoint him."

He pursed his lips into a thin line.

"I have no intention of doing do, you should know that, Yoruichi."

"I do. But he's going through so much right now..."

Byakuya said nothing for the longest moment, dark eyes riveted on the sleeping form of the man who'd managed to capture his heart after a hundred years of grief.

"Worry not, Yoruichi. I will take care of him."

And she could only nod in approval and trust, because the look in his eyes as he stood there was one that spoke only of determination, honor and utter devotion.

o-O-o

He woke up to a beam of sunlight dancing on his face. A quick spread out of his senses told him that he was currently resting in the fourth division barracks -again, and he mentally groaned, before turning his head to watch the gentle rise and fall of Byakuya's chest as he slept in the chair by his bed. It wouldn't be long before the noble woke, he thought, as the sun was almost on his closed eyes. At the moment, it was illuminating the hollow of his cheeks and the straight edge of his nose, playing amongst the silky strands of hair falling on his shoulders, and Ichigo couldn't help the swelling of his heart at the sight.

The man was beautiful, perfect even, with his milky skin and the raven silk of his hair contrasting with it, framing the chiseled planes of his aristocratic features, to the point that he was almost painful to look at. He knew he was powerful and held, at least, his respect, but why would someone like Byakuya want someone like _him_ as a lover? He wasn't even a full Shinigami, just a hybrid of four different races, and there was nothing he could ever do to change that state of facts. And what little consolation he'd found in the certitude that he was more Shinigami than Hollow -a Vizard, Aizen had ripped from him by making him an Arrancar.

But even before that...

_'Did the two of you actually get together while I was asleep? Huh?'_

Byakuya hadn't wanted Rukia to know.

Gentle fingers swept over his cheeks in a flitting touch, and he found himself blinking in surprise at the suddenly blurry features of Byakuya, who was looking down at him with -was that concern?-, fingers splayed over his cheeks.

"Why are you so sad?"

He closed his eyes, revelling in the touch, then rose a tentative hand to his cheeks, only for it to come away wet. He'd been crying, and he hadn't even noticed it. Shame burned through his body at the thought that he'd expressed such weakness in front of Byakuya.

"Don't shut me off. It's okay to cry. God knows that with all that you're going through, you can cry."

Golden eyes slowly slid open, and locked with molten silver. His heart missed a beat at the unadulterated _love_ shining in those bright orbs, and without even knowing it, he found himself blurting out the cause of his sorrow.

"Are you... ashamed of me?"

It was like he'd been punched in the stomach. All air left his lungs, and he could only stare at the man lying in bed before him, open and vulnerable as he finally expressed his greatest insecurity. This was something that had to be dealt with now and forever, Byakuya knew. He had to crush this right this instant and make sure Ichigo never doubted their relationship ever again.

"I am not." He murmured, ever so gently brushing his thumbs down the young man's too hollow cheeks. "You, Kurosaki Ichigo, are the best thing that ever happened to me." It was very unlike him to say such things, but he knew he had to. Because he sincerely believed them, and because Ichigo needed to hear them. Needed to know just how precious to him he'd become. "You are strong, brave, courageous, smart and far too generous and kind-hearted for your own good. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that you could want me as your life partner, and if I am ashamed, it is of having made you doubt the sincerity of my feelings for you."

He paused to stand and go sit on the bed, gathering the younger man in his arms so that his head rested on his chest.

"This heart, which hasn't beat for over a hundred years, now belongs to you and you alone. To you I have given it, and yours it shall forever be. My eyes shall never stray away from you. My ears shall never hear the sweet words of any other than you. My hands shall never touch any other than you. My lips shall never taste other lips than yours. My body shall never be any other's but yours. My soul shall never sing for another's but yours." He paused to pull away, and gently cupped Ichigo's face between his hands to look him in the eye, making sure his gaze mirrored the depth of his feelings.

"I love you, Kurosaki Ichigo, Shihouin Azrael, whoever and whatever you are. With my whole heart and soul, I love you. And I shall never love another."

Their lips joined in a slow kiss, filled with passion and adoration on both sides. Byakuya didn't need to hear Ichigo say he reciprocated, because he knew. He knew, as he looked into his eyes, and even as they leaned their foreheads together, breathes mingling and noses brushing as they closed their eyes, that he loved him just as much. Because Kurosaki Ichigo, when he gave his heart, gave it wholly and without restrictions. He gave his entire being, and the noble had no doubt that it would never end.

He held Ichigo in his arms for a long time as the younger man sobbed his doubts, fears and pains out, rocking him gently as he rubbed soothing circled on his back with his hand and murmured sweet nothings in his ear. When he finally fell back asleep, he stayed there, watching over him, guarding his rest, and the feel of his reiatsu must have been enough of a warning sign to everyone, because nobody disturbed them in the hours they stayed like this.

Eventually, when Ichigo woke up again, he looked far more rested than he had before, and he smiled softly at the raven-haired captain holding his hand.

"Good morning."

"I'd say evening." Byakuya chuckled. "You've slept a few hours."

A quick glance outside confirmed that the sun was setting, and Ichigo sat up, rubbing at the back of his neck in a familiar gesture of embarrassment he'd dropped upon taking over the Shihouin Clan.

"Sorry."

"You needed it." A pause. "Ichigo."

Golden eyes turned to look at him questioningly, and he found his heart soaring with deep affection.

"Never forget what I said earlier. I meant it. You won't ever be alone ever again."

They looked at each other silently for a second, before a gentle smile spread over Ichigo's lips.

"Thank you, Byakuya." He hesitated, then added. "I love you."

"I love you too."

That earned him a small, delighted laugh from his lover, and he couldn't help the smile.

"You should smile more often." The hybrid said. "It suits you well."

"Duly noted." The noble said.

Ichigo was about to answer when suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and it slid open to reveal an Onmitsukido messenger.

"The Captain-Commander has ordered an emergency captain meeting, Kuchiki-taichou, Shihouin-taichou."

"Tell him we shall be there immediately." Byakuya answered calmly, and the man nodded before disappearing from sight.

Sighing, Ichigo made his way out of bed and towards the chair where his clothes had been neatly folded.

"Life goes on." He quickly dressed, strapped his Zanpakutos to his back, then joined Bykauya who'd been waiting outside, and flash-stepped with him over to the first division's barracks. The other captains had already arrived, and greeted them with either a welcoming look, grin, smile or nod, to which they answered in a similar fashion.

"What is the emergency?" Byakuya asked as soon as the old man had banged his cane onto the floor to open the meeting.

Yamamoto's eyes cracked open a fraction as he looked around, only for his gaze to stop on his youngest but most powerful officer.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has disappeared from our reiatsu monitors."

* * *

><p><strong>Tadaam! Cliffhanger! So, what did you think? <strong>

**Anyway, with everything that's been going on here on ff . net, I feel obliged to add in the petition at the end of this chapter -got so many fake alert messages I couldn't do that to you guys, so I decided I'd just add mine when I updated.**

* * *

><p>Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site.<p>

Myself, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that I believe violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be looseing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

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Tango Dancer**  
><strong>


	24. To Protect

**Dawn of the**** Moonfang****  
><strong>By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>Hi everyone! First off, I deeply apologize for the long wait. I unexpectedly had to move this summer, and then I started on my final year or translation studies, and let me tell you the teachers don't seem to know we have work for all their classes! I've been drowning in work since the beginning of term! But, I am pleased to say that I am on holiday as of tomorrow afternoon, and that I fully intend to spend my free time writing. (I might have suffered a little from writer's block too? hehe) <strong>

**Anyway, to all of you who wrote me to ask about this story and express how much they like it, thank you very much! Maverick14th, sorry I didn't answer you (I am now), I have a very, _very_ lousy internet access during the week and enjoy it so much during the week-end that I often forget to write back. Also, _ShizoFairytale_, thank you so much for your support, your PM was what gave me the kick in the ass I needed. I managed to write a paragraph or two in the past week, so here's chapter 23!  
><strong>

**Now that I've said what needed to be said... ENJOY!**

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><p><span>Chapter 23:<span>

The Captains looked at each other in silent worry. The Captain-Commander had barely finished his sentence when Ichigo had flash-stepped away, and already, they could feel his reiatsu fading away as he stepped into a Garganta.

"You will accompany Shihouin-taichou as back-up and come back afterward to report." Yamamoto said to the man standing in the shadows, who merely shrugged noncommittally and disappeared as well. A few seconds later, the reiatsus of both men had faded to nothing except a few lingering wisps proving they'd been there mere minutes ago.

"Are you sure this is wise, sensei?" Ukitake asked worriedly.

The man didn't answer, and in that instant, they all knew it was a test for the second man. His success, however, depended on the survival of their most prized fighter and beloved comrade. More than one captain wondered with disgust about the things war made them do at that point, and reflected on the unfairness of it all.

o-O-o

He was running even before his feet touched ground. The Garganta closed and faded into nothingness behind him, but he paid it no mind, fully focused on his objective: the castle the enormous reiatsu of which he couldn't feel even as he saw it. It was like it had disappeared, except that his eyes perceived it.

"**Careful, **_**Aibou**_**. This is fishy."**

He didn't answer. His feet landed on the first stone of the school's front steps, and he staggered briefly as the full strength of the concealed reiatsu hit him like a ton of bricks. How so much energy had been contained and hidden from the Soul Society monitors, he didn't know, but it was most likely one of Aizen's ideas. This smelled more and more like a trap every second going by.

And unfortunately, he couldn't think of anyone other than him the trap could have been laid for. So he did what anyone would do in his position: instead of trying to be stealthy, he came in through the Main Doors.

The scene he came upon seemed completely normal at first sight: teachers seated at the Head Table, students at their respective House tables, like every dinnertime. What wasn't in any way normal, however, was the fact that nobody was eating, and that his father was laying battered and bloody in the middle of the Great Hall, between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables, the students of which could only stare at his body in horror.

He glanced around quickly, making sure no one was hurt, and couldn't help the quick feeling of relief when he spotted his sisters seated with their classmates. Apparently, whoever had done this hadn't decided to use them in their evil master plan. The doors swung shut with a bang as he stepped over to his father and knelt to his side. Two fingers to his throat told him everything he needed to know, and he nodded to himself in satisfaction. The man, though unconscious, was in no immediate danger. Instantly, a sharp release of breath from the Gryffindor table caught his attention, and he saw that Yuzu was crying tears of relief.

Straightening up, he spread his senses, trying to find out where the attacker was hiding, but the immense concentration of spirit energy in the castle was, as usual, blurring his perceptions, and making it impossible to single out one reiatsu amongst the sea of different power signatures. The one advantage of this, though, was that the castle's energy would serve as a cushion of sort to the wizards and protect them from the tremendous amounts of reiatsu he and his opponent would no doubt release when they got to fighting.

Severus' black eyes were flickering from side to side, a sure proof that he didn't have any idea where the enemy was either, and he frowned.

This wasn't good. If even the excellent spy he knew the Potions Master to be had lost the intruder...

Something flickered at the edge of his field of vision, and before he knew it, he'd shunpoed over to Karin. Zangetsu's blade clashed against the attacker's, and he could feel his eyes widen at his identity.

**'Castle's protectin' the wizards, **_**Aibou**_**.'** Shiro informed him. **"Says its powa' should be enough."**

More than enough, if Ichigo had anything to say about it. The castle had, after all, centuries worth of reiatsu stored within its walls, and had apparently grown sentient, which in itself allowed it to have its very own energy. Consequently, if it said it would protect the wizards, he felt considerably better at the thought of fighting here.

"At last we have found you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the dull green-eyed man standing there.

"Ulquiorra."

They sprang apart, landing on opposite ends of the Gryffindor table.

"You seem to have nicely recovered from your stay in Las Noches. Aizen-sama will be pleased."

The hybrid tightened his grip on Zangetsu's handle.

"I don't think he'll be pleased when I tear his head off his body."

Several students silently gasped, while the teachers' eyes widened in horror at his violent statement. He ignored them. Whatever method Ulquiorra had used to bind them, it apparently also muted them. Ichigo gritted his teeth. So much for his cover as a 'mere' Dark Wizard. The Espada's eyes swept over his body, taking in the smallest details, before coming to a rest over the piece of broken mask on his skull.

"The experiment seems to have succeeded."

"Like you didn't already know that."

"You are right of course." Ulquiorra said dispassionately. "But Aizen-sama was unsure as to the result of the procedure on a test subject who was already a hybrid. Inverting the process doesn't seem to have had any lasting consequences, though your reiatsu does seem a little unstable."

Ichigo's eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

"Is there even a point in your being here at all, Ulquiorra?"

The Arrancar's face, inexpressive as it was, clearly said how stupid he thought he was. "Of course, trash. I came here to retrieve you. The process was obviously not completed last time, and Aizen-sama refuses to allow you to wander about unmonitored."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You really think you can take me back?"

"Do not be cocky, trash. You couldn't hold your ground against me in this state."

Ichigo's answer was very clear: he fell into his favorite battle stance and let his eyes glow with reiatsu.

"I won't go down without a fight."

And under the gaze of over a hundred wizards and witches, they darted towards each other, clashing mid-air in a shower of sparks before bursting apart only to attack again. Five minutes later, they were standing at opposite ends of the hall again. Ichigo was covered in small cuts, while his opponent looked completely unharmed. He didn't even have a hair out of place.

"Bankai."

It was something he'd never shown to anyone. Nobody knew he could go into Bankai without going through Shikai first, and it was supposed to be impossible. But he'd done it, and the fact that Zangetsu himself preferred that form made it far easier on his part to accomplish this feat.

"Tensa Zangetsu." The black _daito_ slashed to the side in a wide gesture of his arm, broken chain tingling at the end, and he raised his head to look at Ulquiorra, only now noticing the small flash of surprise in his otherwise dull eyes. A quick inquiry had the spirit of his Zanpakutô informing him that the Hogyoku had changed more than just his mask, and a quick glance down himself confirmed that fact. His uniform had changed from black to a crimson red lined with black, and he now sported a black mask covering the lower part of his face.

"Interesting, Kurosaki Ichigo."

It was all he said, but in a flash, he was on Ichigo, and they were trading blows again. But this time, when they parted, Ulquiorra was healing a deep slash on his arm.

"You have gotten stronger."

He didn't bother answering. Slowly, his reiatsu grew thicker and heavier, and Ulquiorra started losing ground, blood soaking through his white uniform even as he regenerated his wounds. And so, Ichigo wasn't surprised when suddenly, the Espada's green-rimmed black reiatsu started licking his feet and he murmured: "Enclose... _Murciélago._"

Ichigo raised his reiatsu to match the level of Ulquiorra's exploding one, and made a back-flip which had him landing by his father's body. He grabbed it and shunpoed over to the Head Table, where he dropped Isshin on the smooth wood by Severus' plate.

"Take care of him."

Without waiting for the answer, he turned around, ready to face the threat. He was at a disadvantage, he knew. Ulquiorra was extremely powerful, and he had little to no chance to defeat him without going all out. Problem was, he only had a very flimsy mastery of his Arrancar release, and he was still hurt and weak from his prolonged torture. He just hoped Soul Society would send reinforcements soon, or this might very well be his last fight. To say the least, dying in front of his sisters wasn't quite how he'd wanted to go.

The last remnants of the cloud of dust raised by Ulquiorra's _Resurrección_ dissipated, and he stood a little straighter, gripping the handle of his blade with both hands.

"Are you ready to die, trash?"

"Bring it on, Ulquiorra. I survived Aizen more times than I can count. An Espada like you won't ever be enough to bring me down."

"This fight will be your last."

They readied themselves for their charge, and then, suddenly, they had disappeared and were clashing again, each blow stronger than the last, blood splattering on the walls as the stone floor cracked under the pressure but held on thanks to Hogwarts' reiatsu. It was in times like these that he felt grateful for all the training he'd gone through, and Zangetsu and Shiro's unrelenting pushes to get stronger. Had they not trained so much, he'd already have been broken on the floor.

He remembered, years ago, when even with his Vizard mask on, he'd been unable to even lay a scratch on the one who'd at the time only been the Cuarta Espada. But they'd changed, and his rapid growth rate had allowed him to become powerful enough that he could actually keep up to the released Tercera with only his Bankai. He wouldn't be a match for him once he decided to take things up a notch by going into _Segunda Etapa_, and could only try and think of a way to defeat him before he did.

Blood splattered all over the floor as Ulquiorra's blade slashed him across the abdomen, and he crashed down into the stone floor right before the Head Table. Wincing in pain as several of his old wounds reopened, he spat out a mouthful of blood and raised painfully to his feet.

"You can't... win... in that state... Ichigo."

His head snapped around, and he saw that his father had come to, and was now seated in Severus' spot, the Potions Master holding him up.

"I can try. They'll send back-up soon anyway." _I hope. _

"You're still... hurt."

His knuckles turned white from the strength of his grip on Zangetsu.

"I have enough reiatsu." He paused, hesitated. "In case I don't make it, Dad... Thanks for everything. And tell Byakuya I'm sorry."

At the Gryffindor table, Hermione buried her face in Ron's chest. The twins were crying their heart out as they stared at the tall form of their brother, standing proudly despite the blood gushing out of his wounds, while Harry's hand had come to clasping Draco's under the table. They looked at their teacher, a man so full of secrets they'd been fascinated with him ever since he set foot in the castle, and thought that the day they were going to finally learn what he'd been hiding could actually be the day he died in the bloody war he'd so often spoken about.

Because bloody it was, and now they understood what he'd meant when he'd said their neat little Wizarding War had been nothing compared to the violence of his own.

By the Head Table, Ichigo raised his blade, narrowed eyes riveted on the still form of his enemy.

"Come, Ulquiorra. I'll give you a fight you won't ever forget."

He blurred out of sight. For the next few minutes, the two opponents moved so fast no one could follow their movements except for Isshin, and if his obvious worry was anything to go by, things weren't going well at all.

"He can't win, can he?" Severus asked quietly, though all the staff heard him.

Isshin shook his head.

"Usually, he could. But-"

"But?"

"But he just got out of three weeks of captivity and torture. He's not completely recovered yet."

Severus' wasn't the only face which drained of color.

"Torture?" McGonagall repeated weakly. "What happened?"

Isshin shrugged, gaze still on the fight. Ichigo was holding his ground quite well, but it was only a matter of time before Ulquiorra resorted to more advanced techniques, and then...

"He took on four of Aizen's elite to protect half a squad. From what he told me, they only managed to get him out thanks to inside help."

"How..."

Dumbledore never had time to finish his question as suddenly, Ichigo lunged backwards and pointed his Zanpakuto at Ulquiorra, as a thin beam of cracking red light formed around the tip of his sword.

"_Bala._" The light shot forward with unbelievable speed, immediately followed by another, another and yet another as Ichigo disappeared from sight once again and moved to attack the Arrancar. Eventually, the Espada couldn't dodge them anymore, and one of the attacks caught him right in the chest, sending him flying into the wall from the sheer force of the hit. He crashed violently into the stone, smoke rising from the spots where he'd been hit. Not waiting for him to get back up, Ichigo reached out to point his hand right at him after running it over several of his wounds so that it was covered in blood. A small ball of light started seemingly sucking up the air around it to grow and then...

"_Gran Rey... Cero._"

He let the light rush out with a deafening sound like a grating vibration, spinning like a razor as it compressed and decompressed, and Ulquiorra's eyes widened upon seeing the torrent of dark crimson light ready to crush him. Right before it engulfed him, he raised his sword, and then, the attack hit, and he was engulfed in a torrent of dust as the ground shook from the force of the impact.

"Wicked!" Ron couldn't help but exclaim, and the students found themselves gaping at the sheer power in the attack and slowly regaining hope, only to falter again as Hermione shook her head sadly, looking at the DADA teacher's swaying body.

"He's exhausted." She said softly. "I don't think he can keep this up for much longer."

Karin and Yuzu felt around with growing distress as they felt the Espada's reiatsu still there and strongly pulsing. Their eyes widened in horror when it suddenly went through the roof, and their brother spat out another mouthful of blood.

"Ichi-nii!"

He didn't listen. Ulquiorra emerged from the now settling cloud of dust, and he let his eyes fall shut in weariness. The white uniform had faded away to nothingness, leaving only two bat-like legs and large leathery wings, two white horns and a whip-like tail. He looked like the devil, or an overgrown bat. And only Ichigo knew the true damage this form could inflict.

"Your mastery of the Hollow Arts is quite impressive considering you have been one for barely over a week." Ulquiorra said. "But it compares not to the power of the only Espada to have ever achieved _Segunda Etapa._ You will fall to my blade today. Ready yourself."

Ichigo merely sighed in answer, eyes still closed, before suddenly straightening up. And the fight started again.

Five minutes later, the whole hall was at least on the verge of tears as the beloved DADA teacher lay on the ground, a glowing green spear of light the Tercera had called _Lanza__del__Relámpago_protruding out from his chest, pinning him to the stone floor. Amazingly enough, he was still breathing, though it was shallow and ragged, and despite the heavy blood loss, he was still alive and conscious.

"You might have pushed me as far as to go into _Segunda Etapa_, Kurosaki Ichigo, but in the end, you are only trash. This is the end."

He rose his Zanpakutô above his head, then brought it down to decapitate his felled opponent.

"NO!"

"ICHI-NII!"

The twins' cries of despair echoed throughout the hall, somehow passing Ulquiorra's soundproof barrier, and they struggled to free themselves of the Kido spell keeping them seated...

Only to freeze in shock as, with a single hand, the youngest captain of the Gotei 13 stopped his blade. Eyes snapped open, burning gold as the sclera turned a demonic black, and when he spoke, his voice had an eerie echoing tone to it which sent shivers running down the spines of the powerless wizards and witches.

"The end? I'm not dead yet, Espada!"

And just like that, he tossed him backwards with such force the push sent the Arrancar crashing into the wall again, and he stood back up, seemingly unaffected by the wounds still littering his body, and the Zanpakutô stabbed through his stomach. He whipped it out of his flesh nonchalantly and tossed it away, before reaching up and behind his back to clasp his fingers around the handle of his second Zanpakutô.

"Hasn't it occurred to you that I was only using half of my power up until now, Ulquiorra?" He fell into a low battle stance, crossing both blades before him as his reiatsu flared around him, surrounding his wounded body in a cocoon of darkness rimmed with crimson. Slowly, his wounds started healing, and the white piece of mask on his face started growing, progressively covering the entirety of his features except for his eyes. Fierce bony teeth formed a terrifying grin where his mouth had once been, and two horns protruded out of it to point forwards.

"Susurre... Muramasa!"

The once neglected Zanpakutô glowed fiercely as, for the first time since he'd chosen Kurosaki Ichigo, he found his true place and was finally able to lend him the vast extent of his immense power. Purple reiatsu exploded outwards, bathing the surroundings in spirit energy before slowly dissipating to reveal the released Arrancar form of the one who'd once been a Vizard. Power hummed all throughout the room as the Zanpakutô sung his happiness at being released and wielded by a man whose voice could actually reach his soul.

Shoulder-length brown hair streaked with white, a testimony of the existence of both Tensa Zangetsu and Muramasa, and Shiro, fluttered down a strong back, black uniform ruffled but whole again, not displaying the tears and blood it had been given by the might of Ulquiorra's blade mere minutes earlier. Glowing yellow eyes shone through the mask, right above the spot where the two red stripes ended, and a big, Gothic zero was tattooed on his collarbone.

Slowly, the newly-released Arrancar raised a gloved hand to his face, examining it with something akin to curiosity, before it turned its head to look at the Tercera, whose eyes had narrowed ever so slightly as he considered his opponent's new form.

"This is no Arrancar's Zanpakutô." He said at last.

Everyone watched with bated breath as the creature merely looked back at him, before suddenly, without the white teeth parting, its voice echoed around the room.

"Indeed. Muramasa used to be another Shinigami's Zanpakutô."

Gasps rang out from the 'Slythindors' as they had taken to calling themselves, seated at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Draco exchanged a glance as their theory was confirmed, while the others merely looked at each other in amazement before turning back to the fight, listening avidly to what was said.

What else had their teacher hidden?

"So you killed his Master to take over his power? How despicable."

There was a pause as the twins stared at their brother with wide eyes, looking stricken at the mere thought that he could ever do such a thing, but not denying it either.

"Oh? And what makes you think I did?"

A singular expression of annoyance flashed through the Espada's dull green eyes for the briefest second.

"Do not make yourself out as dumber than you really are, Kurosaki Ichigo. You know as well as I do that the only way to gain control over a Zanpakutô not born of your soul is to kill its original owner and claim dominance over it. Considering your power levels, I find myself unsurprised by this." He narrowed his eyes. "But you must know that this unstable weapon, not being born of your soul, will seize the first opportunity to turn on you. You can feel it already, can you not? The damage it has inflicted on your Inner World? I originally thought that Aizen-sama's use of the Hogyoku was what made your reiatsu so unstable, but it was actually the stolen Zanpakutô."

He took a step forward, raising his Zanpakutô. "How pathetic."

There was a long silence as they stared at each other silently, gauging the opponent and watching for any hint that they were about to attack. But there was none, and suddenly, there was a strange, alien sound ringing about the entire Hall, and the youngest students shrunk in their seats at the inhumane laughter, tinged with madness, which their teacher was letting out.

"Once again, Ulquiorra... you have it all wrong. Muramasa chose to bind himself to me of his own free will. And if you don't believe it... then I guess I shall prove it to you with the strength he is lending me."

Purple started pulsing around him, quickly mixing with crimson and black, and suddenly, he wasn't there anymore, and the walls and floor were cracking under the force of the combined reiatsus flared high.

Ichigo charged silently, and suddenly, they were both out of the castle through the Main Doors, trading blow after blow and one reiatsu attack after the other. He couldn't help but feel respect for Ulquiorra and knew that, although grudgingly, the Espada felt the same as they were now fighting as equals where there had one day been light-years of difference between them. But he could feel his new-found strength quickly waning, and decided to end it quickly. He let Ulquiorra's _Lanza del __Relámpago_ push him back as far back as into the Great Hall, where he started chanting under his breath.

"_Limit of the thousand hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky._" He was vaguely conscious that the Slytherins, whom he was standing close to, were staring at him like he'd grown another head, befuddled by this strange litany.

"_The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders." _

Ulquiorra was rushing back towards him, and he briefly paused in his incantation to throw him off himself with a well-placed Getsuga Tensho. The Espada managed to send him all the way across the room and crashing into the wall. His left horn chipped away, and he stood, quickly regenerating it by drawing on the ambient spiritual energy.

"_Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey-"_

It was time to draw Ulquiorra closer so that he could make it impossible for him to evade the attack. He charged forward, slowly gathering one third of his reiatsu in his blade for another Getsuga Tensho, while keeping another third safe for his spell. The last third went up to his horns. Keeping all three energy attacks invisible was tricky as hell, especially considering the fact that he had to concentrate on keeping them charged but not firing yet and completing the incantation to make the spell as destructive as possible.

He let the Espada get closer, and closer, and closer, and then... with a sickening sound and a sharp pain to his abdomen, Murciélago was stuck in his chest, and they were both crashing to the ground. Ulquiorra stood kneeling over him, and he struggled to stay conscious. He had to complete the process. If he didn't, Ulquiorra would go back to Aizen, maybe taking him back in the process, and Karin and Yuzu -hell, the rest of the Wizarding World would never be safe ever again.

"-f_ortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired..."_

Crimson light gathered at the tip of his horns, at the same time that both his Zanpakutôs started humming from the sheer power they had been forced to contain for a length of time alien to them. Ulquiorra started, tried to jump away...

"_Hado no 91..._"

A tan hand clasped his arm, black glove now tattered and torn, and refused to let go even as Muramasa and Zangetsu rose off the ground, two familiar silhouettes wielding them for him – one a dark-haired teenager with a long brown coat, and the other a white-clad, brown-haired man with purple markings around the eyes. Both had clear gray eyes, both were equally determined. And as they raised their blades, ready to release their respective attacks, Ichigo uttered the last words:

"_Senjû Kôten Taihô!_"

His voice broke as he'd said the last syllable, and they fired, pouring all of their remaining reiatsu into the four simultaneous attacks. Pinned to his spot by Ichigo, Ulquiorra barely had the time to understand what was happening before he was suddenly nailed by a dozen pink reiatsu spears, immediately followed by a powerful _Gran Rey Cero_ which was itself engulfed in the devastating wave of two combined scythes of purple and red-rimmed black spiritual energy.

His arms burned under the strain, and his mask started chipping away at an excruciating pace, but he resisted, clinging to it with all his might. Ulquiorra _couldn't_ make it out of this alive, he just couldn't, because this was Ichigo's last rope, and if even _this_ failed, then he had nothing else left up his sleeve: the last remnants of his reiatsu were being burnt away with the four attacks, his wounds were starting to open up again as he redirected the energy he'd originally used to heal himself to an extent to his offensive, and now...

Black swarmed at the edge of his vision, before suddenly, with a great breaking sound like shattering class, his arm fell back and his mask disintegrated, and he collapsed on the cracked, scorched stone floor.

_Well, shit._

He'd finally run dry.

_Sounds like the end of the road, eh?_

Something tugged at his stomach, and he managed with excruciating effort to lower his eyes to look at it, only to feel fear ensnare his heart in an ice-cold grip at the sight of Ulquiorra's half-charred body standing there, pulling at the handle of his Zanpakutô. The Espada was a terrible sight: he was missing his entire right side, and the rest was pretty much covered in third-degree burns at the least. His remaining leg was obviously struggling to bear his weight, and he looked down at his felled enemy with a strange look, emotionless, admiring, respectful.

"Once again you defy our expectations... Kurosaki Ichigo." His voice was very quiet, barely over a whisper, a far cry from his usual monotones. "I almost regret not getting to see more of your growth. You were a very interesting... creature."

His body was starting to turn into dust.

"That woman... kept talking about this human thing... the heart, she said... it was why she knew you would come."

Ichigo didn't answer immediately. He was focusing on getting himself to sit up. Muramasa and Zangetsu had disappeared once again, as he didn't have the strength to keep them out of his Inner World anymore. Slowly, very slowly, he managed to get onto one knee. Murciélago was still sticking out of his stomach, Ulquiorra's bony fingers wrapped around the hilt, but he paid it no mind, instead choosing to focus on the enemy who'd helped him grow so very much in power.

"What Inoue said was true." He rasped out at last. "We came because of our ties. The human heart... is what links us all together." He paused, looked at the Espada, and his eyes were sad, so very full of deep, deep sorrow that those closest to him felt tears gather in their eyes. "I hope you finally find what makes you whole... Emptiness."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened impossibly in the first true demonstration of emotion Ichigo had ever seen on his face, before suddenly, he relaxed slightly. There only remained his neck and head by now.

"Until my next life then... Cero Espada... Kurosaki Ichigo."

His features dissolved into thousands of tiny spirit particles, and they went to join the others which were already floating around, before gathering and sinking into the ground to form a butterfly. The small black insect flew over to Ichigo and circled his head a few times, then turned and disappeared, bringing a small smile to the lips of the new Cero Espada.

"See you next life."

The barriers had collapsed. Hogwarts' reiatsu settled as she found there was no more danger to her inhabitants and she went back to sleep, exhausted after her extended efforts to contain the mighty power of the man who had saved them all, but not without brushing her mind against his in a comforting caress expressing all of her gratitude. His vision flickered even as his father and sisters, immediately followed by Severus, Dumbledore, McGonagall and the rest of the Slythindors, came running up to him.

"Ichigo!"

"Ichi-nii!"

"Ichi-nii, you okay?"

"Professor!"

"Oi, Shinigami!"

That voice he would recognize anywhere, and he quickly made to stand to tell his sisters to back down even as Karin crouched protectively in front of him.

"What the hell... what took you so long, you moron!" He yelled as loud as he could, glaring with all his might at the smirking Arrancar, which wasn't much since the only thing he felt like he could do at the moment was actually collapsing into unconsciousness.

Grimmjow's aquamarine eyes racked up and down his body, and the grin slipped off his face as he walked closer. Karin stiffened, but made no move to stop him as neither her father nor her brother seemed alarmed at his presence.

"Nice going, Shinigami. Materializing your Zanpakutô spirits to shoot four attacks at a time, brilliant! Wouldn't have done any better."

"Sure, you couldn't if you wanted to." He choked out, before breaking into a coughing fit which sent him right down on his knees, dry-heaving and spitting out mouthful after mouthful of blood. "Shit..."

"Sorry, Shinigami. He'd expected you'd come with back-up. Posted Adjuchas all over the grounds." He paused. "Rest now, Shinigami. Everyone's safe. I'll-"

It was funny, Ichigo would later reflect, how well his once enemy actually knew him. All he'd needed to say was that everyone was okay, that he'd done his job as a protector, and then, all of his strength had abandoned him, and he'd fallen into a dark abyss of complete oblivion.

He didn't hear the concerned shouts of the wizards as his eyes rolled up in his skull, nor the hysterical sobs as his sisters finally took in how badly beaten he really was. He didn't hear them screaming at their father, demanding to know what he'd meant when he'd said their big brother couldn't win "in that state"; didn't see as an orange-haired girl seemingly appeared from nowhere, brought in in emergency by a frantic Grimmjow to heal him from the verge of death, nor the horror in the wizards' eyes as they heard the diagnosis made by a woman with a gentle voice and kind sapphire eyes wearing traditional Japanese clothes. He didn't see the humans look at him with respect for what he'd done.

None of them were dumb enough not to guess that he'd been putting himself in danger by firing off such destructive attacks at point blank. But he'd done it to protect them, protect the safety of their location, protect the society who'd given him so much grief ever since he'd set foot in this foreign country.

He heard none of it, but as he slept away the exhaustion and pain, Grimmjow watched, and his respect grew.

He would make sure what had happened today wouldn't be forgotten.

o-O-o

Inuzuri was quite calm for this period of war. A young child ran forward as a small butterfly reformed into a human body on the ground, and leaned over curiously before turning to a brown-haired woman walking towards him.

"Hey, Momma, look! There's a new one!"

She stopped next to him and looked at the new arrival.

"What beautiful black hair..."

o-O-o

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood in the Great Hall with their Slytherin friends and watched as the twins rushed over to the fallen form of their brother. Isshin was already there, leaning over him, his hands glowing green even as Snape waved his wand in a complicated diagnosis spell, a scroll of parchment getting longer by the second as Ichigo's injuries were listed on it. Around them, the teachers were getting the students back to their dorms, calming them down as many first and second years were in hysterics after seeing their beloved Defense teacher nearly get killed protecting them.

Glancing around, Harry saw that the last students were exiting the Hall, leaving only himself, the Kurosakis, the Slythindors and Snape, along with Dumbledore. His gaze caught Draco's and he hesitated, before reaching out in his most discreet manner. Nobody was about to care anyway as they had more important things to deal with -healing the teacher, for one, and was relieved when long, aristocratic fingers came to rest in his palm before intertwining themselves with his. They had all come very close to dying, he realized, and he tightened his grip a little at the thought that had it not been for the man now dying on the broken floor, they could have disappeared without ever allowing their feelings to blossom into something more.

Draco squeezed back, silver eyes dark with understanding, and Harry let the corners of his lips twitch upwards ever so slightly in the best smile he could manage at the time. Though Draco's carefully blank expression didn't change, his eyes softened, and he nodded once in the direction of the Kurosakis.

_They need us. _

There was no questioning who 'they' were. Blaise and Theo were standing a short distance behind the two crying girls, watching them carefully, guarding their backs almost, and, steeling himself, Harry tugged at Draco's hand. It was time to man up and face the music.

Kurosaki, they immediately realized, was a terrible sight to see: his hands were horribly burned, his clothes were torn and singed, still smoking from the explosions, and he was covered in deep gashes which kept oozing blood. Even in unconsciousness, his face was twisted in pain. In this moment, he looked nothing like the powerful Dark Wizard who'd single-handedly defeated a dozen Death Eaters without even uttering a single incantation, or the mighty warrior who'd just killed an obviously terrifyingly powerful opponent while still recovering from previous wounds. He looked broken and fragile, but even so, there was still something about him which just screamed danger.

There was a gust of wind, and suddenly, the blue-haired man – what was his name again? was standing there once more, but this time, he was accompanied by a well-endowed young woman with long russet-colored hair and large, gentle eyes the color of thunderclouds. She was very beautiful, he immediately noticed, and seemed like a very kind person. Right now, though, she was very pale, and had eyes only for Kurosaki, whom she rushed over to even as she raised her hands to the blue pins holding her hair in place.

"_Souten Kisshun!_"

Instantly, a dome of warm golden light started forming over the unconscious body, and Isshin straightened up as did the girls, looking at the newcomer with obvious relief.

"_Inoue-san!_" Yuzu exclaimed. "_I'm so glad you're here! Ichi-nii..._" Her eyes teared up again and she bit her lower lip, letting Theo wrap his arms around her. Isshin glared weakly, but soon gave up on pretending to care, and turned back to his son's motionless body.

"_Grimmjow-san is the one who came to fetch me._" She said gently. "_Unohana-san is on her way._"

Right as she finished talking, there was another gust of wind, and suddenly, another woman was standing there, clad in a black kimono under a white haori, a sword at her side, long raven hair braided on her chest and sapphire blue eyes immediately zeroing in on the wounded young man. She knelt by his side and ran her hands over his body, eyebrows slightly furrowed in concentration, then murmured something under her breath, and green light similar to that Isshin had produced mere minutes ago started glowing around her fingers and over one of the most serious wounds.

McGonagall chose that moment to come back in and started upon sighting the two women and their strange, _flashy_ healing techniques.

"The Gryffindors are set for the night." She told Dumbledore. "Who are these people?"

"I must admit, my dear Minerva, I know as little as you do. I must surmise, however, that they are healers."

"Thanks you, Albus, I wouldn't have guessed." She replied with a glower. He chuckled in his beard. They stood in silence with Severus, who'd joined them, watching as the two women worked.

"How's Ichigo?" The Transfiguration Mistress asked at last.

"He'll be fine!" Said an unfamiliar, loud voice, and they turned to see the blue-haired man standing right there. How they hadn't heard him, they had no clue, but he was most certainly very stealthy, which was quite paradoxical considering his general obnoxious demeanor. And his hair. "Always is." His face darkened a little. "Hate to admit it's the worst I've seen him in a while, though. Except for that time in Hueco Mundo."

"_What do you mean?_"

The Gryffindor Head of House jumped again, scowling. It was Karin, this time, flanked by her twin and their boyfriends, and why had everybody suddenly decided sneaking up on her was a good idea?

"_Grimmjow? What do you mean by that? What happened in Hueco Mundo?_"

He scowled down at her.

"_And why should I answer you, brat?_"

"_Because we want to know what happened to our brother. Please, Grimmjow-san._" Yuzu interjected gently, looking up at him with large puppy eyes, and he looked away, obviously embarrassed. Had Ichigo seen him in this instant, he'd have laughed himself silly. The great avatar or Destruction, Sexta Espada Grimmjow Jaggerjacques, was a sucker for his sister's puppy dog eyes.

"_Che._" He ran a nervous hand through his disheveled hair. "Idiot Shinigami got caught in Hueco Mundo. Aizen loved making him pay for every one of the plans he thwarted." It wasn't much, but it was enough. The girls paled, even as Isshin stormed over.

"_We need to get word to Soul Society._"

"_How long?_"

Karin's voice was cold, her eyes, hard.

"_What?_"

"How long was he tortured?" She yelled in English, and everyone turned to her. Inoue's eyes filled with tears, and she ducked her head to hide her face from view.

"You _told_ them?" Isshin's usually light gaze had darkened with fury as he glared at the Espada.

"They deserve to know." Grimmjow said. "They'd have found out one way or another."

"They shouldn't have to bear that burden!" Isshin shouted furiously.

"Yeah? And how did you plan to conceal that? At full power, he could take Ulquiorra with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back! And nothing happened, but he was suddenly back to his skills of seven years ago? Nobody would ever believe that! He's a lot of things, but he certainly isn't a lazy ass! Everyone who knows him knows that his potential is limitless! He would never just regress!"

They made for an intimidating sight, standing tall and challenging each other through eye contact alone, reiatsu simmering around their bodies as it responded to their chaotic emotions. And then, suddenly, Isshin's shoulders slumped in defeat, brown eyes showing all his years.

"He didn't want-"

He was cut off by a snort.

"_Please_. We all know he'd be willing to keep it a secret if he had been blackmailed into surrendering himself tomorrow. We'd never know until he'd gone. But I absolutely don't intend on helping him commit suicide, and I'll do whatever's necessary to keep him in one piece, whether he wants it or not!"

The ex-Shinigami stared at him, dumbfounded into silence at this odd pledge of loyalty, but the Espada wasn't looking at him, obviously embarrassed by his little outburst. And then, suddenly, he was being smothered in 'The Valley of Gods', as Kon had once dubbed it.

"I always knew you and Kurosaki-kun would be great friends one day, Grimmjow-kun!" Inoue chirped. Obviously, she'd been relieved of her duties, which could only be a good sign that Ichigo wasn't in mortal danger anymore. "You do know he cares for you just as much, don't you?"

Isshin watched with ill-concealed glee as the Espada grew redder and redder, noticing the bewildered wizards staring, before the inevitable happened.

"What the hell, woman! Let go of me before I skewer you and feed you to my _Fracción_!"

She reluctantly unwrapped her arms from around his chest.

"But you don't have a _Fracción_ anymore, Grimmjow-kun! Unless they followed you to Soul Society? But I didn't see any Arrancars there other than you, and there haven't been any rumors either... Hmm, that's strange, maybe they're hiding because they're afraid the Shinigami will kill them? But they should know that you're still alive... Or maybe it's because they're hungry and they're afraid if they eat a soul they'll get tracked down? In that case, I will cook them my special red bean rice with fried cheese and spinach, I'm sure that'll be enough for them to eat! And then, when they're accepted by the Seireitei, we can all-"

Grimmjow tuned her out with a groan, face-palming. That woman would never change. He then noticed the smug look of the former captain standing near him, and glare.

"What are you laughing at, you overgrown goat?"

"Well..."

And then started a shouting match the likes of which the Wizarding World had never seen, and Soul Society had, regrettably, grown very much accustomed to.

* * *

><p><strong>I dearly hope this wasn't disappointing as hell, especially since it took me so long to update. It it was, I sincerely apologize and will you excuse me for a minute I need to go bawl my eyes out in that dark corner over there? I started this story with this scene in mind, and I poured my heart and soul into it^^! No, really, I did a lot of research and all that, I really tried to make it a good fight scene, but then again, that's not really my specialty...<br>**

**Anyway, shutting up now. Did you like it? Please tell me! I need support right now, so that my Muse keeps coming back!  
><strong>

**Again, sorry for the long wait, and thank you for your support!  
><strong>

**(And I think I proofread myself, but if you see mistakes... well, you know the drill by now, don't you!)  
><strong>

**See you all!**

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><p><strong><span>P.S.:<span> Just so you know, you almost didn't get that chapter: my lousy internet access broke down and I spent fifteen agonizing minutes refreshing the page and trying to log in again to see if all my work had been lost or not. Thankfully, it wasn't. So savor this chapter, people. Savor it. You never know when the evil God of shitty internet accesses will decide to strike again!  
><strong>


	25. The Beginning of the End

**Dawn of the Moonfang  
><span>**By Tango Dancer

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><p><strong>You're not dreaming, this really is a chapter of <em>Dawn of the Moonfang<em>!  
>As I've told several of you, I'm really, deeply sorry about the long wait, and even more that I can't guarantee I'm back for good, but believe me when I say I feel terrible whenever I think of you all and how I ditched you. I absolutely hate that I made you all wait for so long. Truth is, I had no inspiration, <em>Bleach<em> canon moved on too quickly, and I've had a _lot_ of things going on this year (still going on, actually).  
>I also want to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm and kind words, and especially <em>sparklefreeze<em>, whom I will definitely hire as my spokesperson in the future -thank you, you're a brilliant person, you write what I think better than I ever could!  
>I hope you will all enjoy this chapter!<strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 24:<span>

It was a long hour after her arrival that the black-haired woman, whose name they heard was Unohana, decided that Ichigo was stable enough to be moved to the infirmary. Immediately, both Snape and Dumbledore took out their wands to cast a levitating charm on his body, but stopped when someone stepped between them and the passed-out teacher. The blue-haired man snarled at them, lips pulled back to reveal his teeth in an animal growl, clearly stating that he wouldn't let them cast any spell whatsoever on his unconscious -partner?, then turned around once he was sure they wouldn't dare go through with it anyway and picked him up bridal style.

"Lead the way, woman." He snapped. Madam Pomphrey looked outraged, but said nothing and left the Hall, the Espada on her heels.

"Grimmjow-kun really does care." Inoue said softly.

"Shihouin-taichou has a wonderful gift." Unohana merely answered, and they shared a glance before the fourth division captain turned to look at the wizards. "I am afraid my services are required back in Japan. Please don't worry: Inoue-san is a very gifted healer."

And with that she was gone, leaving a blushing Inoue behind her, fidgeting slightly as everyone looked at her. In the end, Ron was the one to break the silence.

"So, um, who're you?"

"My name is Inoue Orihime." She chirped, with a blinding smile.

"And how d'you know-" He was interrupted by Hermione harshly elbowing him in the ribs.

"Ron!" She exclaimed, looking scandalized. "Don't you know how rude it is in Japan not to introduce oneself before asking for someone else's name?"

Turning, she smiled at the orange-haired woman.

"Forgive my boyfriend, Miss Inoue. I am Hermione Granger, and here are Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Theodore..." She went on, pointing at everyone in turn as she named them while Inoue smiled and bowed politely from time to time.

"Maybe we should relocate," Dumbledore said. "You must be tired after using your abilities to heal Mr Kurosaki."

"Oh no!" She waved her hands in front of her face. "This was nothing, Unohana-san did most of the work!"

"I think Inoue-chan's hungry, actually." Isshin said knowingly, and she blushed at the truth of his words.

"Not to worry, then!"

Five minutes later, they were all seated at the Gryffindor table and eating the meal several House elves had just brought them. The woman, they noticed immediately, had very odd taste in food, and they tried their best not too stare, though it was getting more and more difficult as she'd just mixed ketchup and mustard with a dish of saucy fish and _chili con carne_.

"So, how do you know Professor Kurosaki?"

"Oh, Kurosaki-kun and I used to be in the same class. He was so powerful he couldn't hold all his power in, and as I was so often exposed to it, me and several others developed abilities of our own."

She was very talkative, in a bubbly, cheerful way, and they shared a glance: it was obvious that if they wanted answers, she was the one person they should ask. Isshin had gone with the twins to see Ichigo, and that left only a bunch of very curious wizards with the young Japanese.

"So he's a good friend of yours?" McGonagall asked.

She nodded vigorously, eyes shining with conviction and loyalty. "Oh, yes! Kurosaki-kun is definitely my best male friend! We've been through a lot together, he even invaded Hueco Mundo with only two friends to rescue me when I was captured by Aizen."

"A rescue party of only three people? In enemy territory?"

"Yes! Incredible, isn't it? But we were joined by two of our _nakama_ later on, and then by Kuchiki-taichou and Zaraki-taichou and even Unohana-taichou and Kurotsuchi-taichou! And everyone survived!" She said it like it was amazing and common at the same time, and they found themselves unsure as to how they should feel about that.

"Nakama?" Draco repeated.

"What does 'taichou' mean?" Harry asked, feeling confused.

She flushed in obvious embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! Of course you wouldn't know! Well, 'taichou' means 'captain' in English and 'nakama' means 'comrade'. I apologize!"

"No, no, it's fine. Thank you for explaining. So, you're a healer, right? Is that all you can do?"

"Well, I can attack, but my abilities are mostly defensive and regenerative. I can heal and protect, but my offensive skills are nowhere near those of Kurosaki-kun!"

"Yes, we've seen that..." Severus said curtly. "He's very powerful, isn't he?"

She nodded slowly, cheerful demeanor suddenly gone as she stared down at her plate sadly.

"Yes. He's most likely the most powerful of us. Even Aizen acknowledges him as a such. He's been trying to get to him for years, but he hadn't managed to until..."

"Until a month ago."

She jerked a little at that, but nodded anyway. The war in Hueco Mundo had lasted three months to the fighters, amongst whom she hadn't been, but though she hadn't been there, the way people kept referring to it as having lasted three months made it difficult to keep in mind that in the real world, only one month had passed.

"Yes..." She whispered.

"What happened? How did he get captured?" Ron asked, a little too eagerly if Hermione's disapproving frown was anything to go by.

"Ukitake-taichou was sick that day, and half his division got ambushed by four of Aizen's elite. They were getting slaughtered, so Kurosaki-kun came to help as he was in the vicinity. But the Espada-" she swallowed "they're very powerful. Even Kurosaki-kun couldn't have defeated all three of them by himself. We only managed to get him back thanks to Grimmjow-kun."

It was all she said, but it was enough. They didn't ask any more questions after that, seeing that her enthusiasm seemed to have faded, and she was now morosely picking at her food.

"Will you be staying here, Miss Inoue?" Dumbledore asked politely once they were all finished.

"Just tonight if everything goes well." She replied gently. "Kurosaki-kun is a fast healer, he shouldn't be in need of my abilities."

"Then you could explain to us what just happened, couldn't you?" Draco drawled.

She shook her head, eyes full of uncertainty.

"I'm afraid I can't. Though I am affiliated to the Seireitei, I am not an officer, and therefore have no authority to tell you anything. You will have to wait for Kurosaki-kun to wake up." She paused. "Don't make him overexert himself, though. Unohana-taichou can be very scary when she gets angry." She shuddered slightly as they all wondered how the delicate sapphire-eyed woman they had seen earlier could be anything but gentle.

"Anyway, I should head home soon." She rose to her feet and bowed. "Thank you for the meal." And just as she said it, Grimmjow came stalking into the room.

"Oi, woman, you ready to go back?"

Nodding, she bounced over to him and he wrapped an arm around her before disappearing.

"How the hell do they _do_ that?" Ron muttered. Harry could only nod, quite confused himself.

o-O-o

**"We're alive ****_Aibou_****."**

"_You fought well."_ Pride was almost rolling off Zangetsu in waves, and Ichigo allowed himself to briefly bask in the feeling. The old man, after all, had been with him since the beginning, his mentor every time he needed advice -be it in battle or merely life-related problems.

Then, he turned to the silent figure standing a little off to the side. Obviously, the Zanpakutôt feared he wouldn't accept him now that he knew his identity.

"Muramasa."

**_"Ichigo."_**

"How-?"

**_"The Blood Blade was originally made so that it would change to become a Zanpakutô should the Shihouin Clan Head ever need one, and be gifted with enough reiatsu. However, that process was modified when you were changed into an Arrancar, thus giving you another Zanpakutô."_**

"But you were born from a Shinigami..."

The solemn spirit nodded his head.

**_"Indeed. However, I agreed on changing my nature to suit your needs."_**

They looked at each other. The last time they had seen each other, they...

"I thought you were dead."

**_"I thought I was too. However, part of me was already hoping that I could find a place in your soul, and bonded itself to you. It helped me survive and regenerate over the years, and when the time came, I was ready to lend you my power and become yours."_**

Ichigo looked taken aback at that. But then, his eyes softened, and the Zanpakutô who'd been scorned by his master and abandoned by him could feel his whole being fill with warmth as their souls resonated with each other. Ichigo hesitated, looking torn.

"Was it -painful?"

Muramasa shook his head. Adapting was something he'd been doing for centuries, and this... this had been nothing compared to the slow death he'd been forced to endure when Kôga had rejected him and broken his blade. Ichigo's voice tore him from his musings, and he focused back on him. He looked healthy in this world, much better than his physical body these days, and his features were marred by a contemplative frown. His reiatsu was full of quiet thinking, healing and the whispering remnants of triumph after Ulquiorra's defeat.

"I-" The hybrid paused. "I'm no saint. I'm full of faults and I'm only trying my best to protect the people I love. I'm not really sure what I am anymore, and I'm potentially dangerous, but... If you still want me, then-" He breathed in deeply, locked gazes with Muramasa's own clear gray orbs and opened his arms. "Then I welcome you into my soul."

_Thud._

Muramasa's eyes widened. He hadn't doubted Ichigo would make this decision, but to actually hear-

_Thud._

He had just been accepted by someone, a Shinigami hybrid with so much power he could never have dreamed it in his wildest dreams.

_Thud. Thud. _

And now he could finally know what Zangetsu knew, what Zabimaru and Sode no Shirayuki had, what Senbonzakura treasured so much that he and his wielder had actually defended him against his master. But master he was no more, and instead Kurosaki Ichigo, that strange human, had accepted him...

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Accepted... him.

Light exploded around him, and suddenly, hundreds of reishi strings wrapped around both Ichigo and himself, and he felt more complete than he ever had. Ichigo's presence filled his very being, and suddenly, he knew all about him, his secrets, his fears, his victories and his defeats, everything there was to know, down to the first words he'd ever spoken. Such was the intimate connection a Zanpakutô and its Shinigami shared, and it was no longer painful to acknowledge that it was only after hundreds of years of existence that he finally got to know this feeling, because _this_, what he was feeling now, was worth the entire wait. He doubted anyone could fathom the true depths to which Ichigo's being ran.

"Muramasa..."

He looked up, eyes still full of the fear that somehow, this was only a dream, or a twisted joke, or _something_, but Ichigo's eyes were full of warmth and sincerity when he said the words that truly made his Zanpakutô heart swell:

"Welcome home."

And Muramasa knew without a doubt that he meant every word of it. A lone tear ran down his cheek, but he didn't pay attention to it. Because those words, those two, simple words, actually meant-

_You're not alone anymore._

o-O-o

_This is getting repetitive._

There were people with him in the room, but they stopped talking as soon as someone said a sharp "Hush now! He's waking up!" It was a woman's voice, curt and dry. Obviously, she was used to being obeyed. Most likely the nurse, then.

His eyelids were a pain to open, but he managed to do it, only to slam them shut immediately as the light in the room was far too bright.

"I just shut the curtains, Professor, you can open your eyes."

Dipping his chin in acknowledgment, he tried again, and found that the brightness was much more bearable this time. Someone pressed something cool against his lips, and he drank from the glass before letting his head fall back on the pillow. His eyes slid shut on their own, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep once more.

In the infirmary, Ron looked at his friends. "Well, that sure was anticlimactic." Hermione glared at him, torn between outrage at the casual way he treated the serious injuries of the professor, and awe that the red-head actually knew such a big word. In the end, she settled for a lecture on tact and finesse, which the others quickly tuned out.

"How is he?" Karin asked Madam Pomfrey worriedly.

"Exhausted." She answered briskly. "Don't worry, Ms. Kurosaki, your brother should be fine once he gets his rest. His body is just recovering all the energy he used up three days ago. He will wake up when he's ready to properly function again."

Theo squeezed Yuzu's shoulder as she shared a relieved glance with her twin.

Ichigo only woke up two full weeks after his fight with Ulquiorra. Lucius had agreed to substitute for him again, only insisting to get the full story which had been obliviated from the students, as it wouldn't have been good to have such a story reach the parents. The rumors about Hogwarts' lack of safety and the existence of a secret society breeding such powerful individuals would be nothing short of a catastrophe for everyone involved.

Though it had taken a long time, his recovery was complete when he did open his eyes, and he felt it immediately in the way his reiatsu simmered gently under his skin, begging to be used. He felt more rested than he had in years. Shiro's instant regeneration ability, he thought, really was a blessing he could never thank God enough for.

His sisters had apparently forgotten all their resentment, because he had an armful of sobbing twins crying their hearts out in his hospital shirt five minutes after waking up. His father was there too, of course, his eyes a little too bright to be normal, but he'd at least had the decency to keep from resorting to a 'Super-Daddy-Love-Hug' to show his affection, instead opting for a manly clap on the shoulder and a firm "nice to have you back, son."

And then, before he knew it, he'd been roped into an impromptu Order of the Phoenix meeting, which ended up with him seated on an armchair in Dumbledore's office, facing a bunch of curious and suspicious wizards and witches, the youngest of whom where no older than fifteen. This, he could only think as he rubbed his forehead tiredly, promised to be absolutely _no_ fun.

It still wasn't any fun when, after ten minutes of sitting there, they'd just kept staring at him without saying a word. He could understand the curiosity, especially if this was about what he thought it was about and Hermione had accurately translated the word 'Shinigami', but still... He'd been sure Dumbledore at least would have gathered his bearings after a few minutes.

**"We gonna sit 'ere all day, or actually do somethin'?"**

Gasps echoed all around the room as wands were wiped out and pointed at the albino perched precariously on the arm of Ichigo's armchair, looking utterly bored as he let his golden eyes sweep over the group before turning back to his doppelganger.

"I was wondering about that myself, actually." Ichigo said in the same bored tone. "Headmaster?"

The old man flushed in his beard, cleared his throat.

"Yes, yes of course, hum... Who, pray tell, is your... lookalike?"

**"I ain't no lookalike, ol' man. Name's Shiro. Ya can call meh Master."**

Ichigo concealed a smile behind his hand, amused at his Hollow's antics.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?"

**"'m bored. Newbie's still shy, won't spar, and ol' man's sleeping."**

"Sleeping?"

**"Well, yeah, we used up quite a lotta power to get ya back on yar feet so quick, ****_Aibou_****."**

"Mmm." Ichigo looked thoughtful for a second, then nodded. "You can stay, but don't cause any trouble."

The Hollow merely answered with a grin which clearly said he had little to no intention of respecting that wish, but Ichigo merely rolled his eyes at his behavior. They turned back to the Order members, and Shiro's hand quietly found its way on his Shinigami's shoulder, where he let it rest in silent support. Though the Shihouin Clan Head said nothing, he seemed to lean into the touch ever so slightly. That had the Hollow inwardly smiling at the thought that it was long gone, the time when the young man had been fighting him at every turn, struggling for dominance and hating this part of himself with every fiber of his being.

"So," Ichigo said. "I guess you want explanations on what happened..."

"Two weeks ago." Tonks supplied helpfully.

"Yes, two weeks ago." He paused. "This is actually a very complicated story, so I will try and make it understandable. However, I want an Unbreakable Oath that none of you will go and speak of this to anyone not already aware of it without my consent."

They hesitated but swore anyway, knowing that it was the only way they were getting any answers. When that was done, Ichigo nodded in approval and settled more comfortably in his seat.

"Basically, what I told you about the war in Japan is true, except that it doesn't originate on Earth, but on a separate dimension altogether. Shinigami are Soul Reapers. Their duty is to help the souls of the dead to pass on to the afterlife, to a place called the Soul Society. Soul Society is divided between two places: the Rukongai, or 'Town of the Wandering Souls', and the Seireitei, or 'Court of Pure Souls', where the Shinigami live. We are organized in thirteen divisions all led by a captain and a lieutenant.

"However, Shinigami have another duty: to fight and purify the souls which, for one reason or another, corrode until they become creatures of hatred, rage and hunger, led solely by instinct. Those beasts feed on normal souls, or 'Pluses', and are called Hollows. Are you still with me?"

"Very good." He said as they all motioned for him to continue. "You are aware of course that normal humans can't see ghosts. Select individuals, though, have enough power -we call it reiatsu- to feel or even see them, which in turn enables them to see Shinigami. Such was my case." He paused. "Seven years ago, I got involved with the Shinigami, which led me into this war."

"What is it about?"

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair.

"Three captains turned traitor and left the Soul Society for Hueco Mundo, the world of the Hollows. They started creating an army of extremely powerful hybrids called Arrancar, which he numbered. The smaller the number, the stronger the Arrancar, numbers ten to 1 -or zero, in our case- being the elite, the Espada."

"So the guy you defeated was one of those Arrancar guys?" Sirius questioned.

"Yes. He was actually the Tercera Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. Technically, he should have been Cero, but he hid his last release from even Aizen. Nobody had actually seen it until he used it against me. He was most likely the strongest opponent I have ever encountered, except for Aizen."

"And those Arrancar are Shinigami-Hollow hybrids?"

"Indeed."

"How can you recognize a Hollow?"

**"Big monsta wit' a white mask? Not that difficult ta spot if ya ask meh."** Shiro intervened.

"You used a mask, though, didn't you?" Bill asked.

"I did. I used to be another type of hybrid entirely. Arrancar are Hollows who break their mask and are given Shinigami powers, hence their having a Zanpakutô. I, however, was a Shinigami before I gained my Hollow powers."

There were a few seconds of bemused silence.

"O-kay... And what does that make you?" Tonks said slowly, clearly perplexed.

"A Vizard. There were eight others before me, actually. But near the end of my captivity, Aizen managed to turn me into an Arrancar, thus making me the Cero Espada. Thankfully, we were strong enough that he didn't manage to brainwash us, or-" he trailed off.

Shiro squeezed his shoulder and took over.

**"Anyway, fact's tha' the idiot actually managed ta make us even stronga than before, and that now we've gotta damn lotta releases."**

"But aren't there laws in Soul Society against that kind of thing? Hollows are a Shinigami's enemy, after all, aren't they?"

Ichigo inwardly sighed. Dumbledore's perceptiveness would be his downfall one day.

**"Course there are. But ****_Aibou_**** didn't get 'is powas willingly, fought lil' ol' meh for dominance for quite a while, actually."**

"You're a Hollow?" Ron burst loudly, looking very pale. Shiro grinned, showing off his sharp teeth, then licked his lips.

**"Whadya think, ginger'ead? D'I look like a normal 'uman ta ya?"**

"So, how come you still -forgive me- _exist_?" Lucius said carefully.

**"_Aibou_'s proven 'imself far too damn useful and strong for any of them weaklin's ta actually try and fight us. And they still owe 'im a whole lotta debts for the times 'e saved their wrinkled asses."**

"Shiro."

**"Yeah, yeah, whateva." **The man brushed him off with a flippant wave of his hand. **"Anyway, thin' is, ****_Aibou_****'s got far too many allies for anyone t' even think o' turnin' against 'im."**

"Especially considering the fact that you're on good terms with the Head of the Kuchiki Clan, and the Head of the Shihouin Clan yourself." Severus said.

"Exactly."

"You changed forms several times during the fight," Harry said, "how did you do it?"

"A Shinigami's power is born from their soul, and materializes under the form of a Zanpakutô. In other words, our sword. Those have two possible releases: Shikai and Bankai. To achieve the first, one must learn the name of their Zanpakutô, while to reach Bankai, you need to materialize your Zanpakutô's spirit and force it into submission. Bankai is a requirement for captains, and only a Shinigami every few centuries manages to gain it, for it is a testimony of great power."

"How long do you need to get it?"

"Usually, at least ten years."

They picked up on the word immediately.

"Usually?" Mrs. Weasley repeated.

**"****_Aibou_**** got it in two days and a 'alf."**

They gaped.

"Yes, well, it was an emergency. One of my friends was about to be executed, and I needed that power to save her."

"How old were you at that time?" McGonagall asked suspiciously, and they all leaned forward, eager to know the answer.

"Fifteen."

"Can't believe you kept us out of the Order with the pretext we were too young when _he_ was fighting a war at our age." Ron grumbled, glaring at his mother.

"I don't think you would have liked getting repeatedly stabbed and cut in half at age fifteen, Mr. Weasley." Ichigo said dryly. "To be quite truthful, the number of near-death experiences I'd had by the time I turned eighteen was actually less than the times I actually_ did _die_._"

You could have heard a pin drop. Ron was squirming in his seat, put very ill-at-ease by the Hollow's poisonous glare. Nobody dared to ask how the teacher was still there to talk about it, obviously breathing and healthy enough to walk and fight.

"So, how does this all actually concern us mortals?" Dumbledore asked, fingers intertwined under his chin.

"The war has spread into the Living World. Aizen managed to get Wizarding Clans to join him by making empty promises as he always does, and they are now harassing the fighters we dispatched to that dimension. The problem is that between _Konsôing _souls, purifying Hollows and fighting Arrancars, Soul Society has nowhere near enough fighters to handle everything at once. We need reinforcements, and we need people with actual magical power, seeing as I'm the only one amongst us all with Wizarding blood, and I can hardly be fighting a bunch of Wizards at the same time as I am destroying a group of Arrancars."

"So you were sent here for backup."

"Yes and no. I decided to leave for Karin and Yuzu's safety. They were being targeted by Aizen, and it was too dangerous for them to stay in Japan."

"I still say you should have let us train." Karin growled, arms crossed over her chest.

"Preposterous." Ichigo scoffed. "Yuzu barely has enough reiatsu to feel them."

"I've been able to see spirits for four years, Ichi-nii." Yuzu protested.

"That doesn't make you powerful enough to go anywhere near a battlefield. And we've already had this conversation, the answer is still no."

They pouted, but he merely dismissed them and turned back to the wizards.

"I have no intention of forcing you into joining our war. I understand that you just got out of your own conflict, and that it's still painful for you to think about it, let alone consider entering another one you hardly have any interest in. Please take your time to decide. However, were you to choose to get involved, be assured that you won't be sent off to fight without proper equipment and training. You will first be trained by the best we can offer, and believe me when I say, the best you will get."

"But you will go back at the end of the year, am I wrong?" Hermione said softly.

"I will. This year was supposed to allow me some reprieve after seven years of non-stop conflict, but my men need me and I can't leave them to fight a war without proper leadership. Though my lieutenant is very competent, she is no captain, and relying completely on her is unfair of me."

A bad leader would never have worried about that, Bill thought as he looked at the Shinigami's golden eyes, but Ichigo still seemed to think himself unworthy of his position.

"Anyway," he said as he rose to his feet, "I will report to the Soul Society tonight and leave you to your thoughts. Take your time."

And with that he swept back out of the room, Shiro vanishing in a flash of white spirit particles.

o-O-o

When he came back that night, it was to a group of students waiting in the hallway by the entrance of his rooms, and he let them in quietly before fixing himself some _sake_ and offering them tea.

"What is it?" He eventually asked as they didn't seem inclined to speak.

"The story you told us... It was yours, wasn't it?"

Lowering the cup of alcohol from his lips, he looked at them, then settled down in an armchair by the fire, long legs crossed at the knee.

"Indeed."

"Why did you? Tell us, I mean."

He shrugged. It was amazing, Hermione reflected, how, ever since the secret of his true nature had come out, he'd been acting far more relaxed, more natural and ever so slightly less distant. He was more human in a sense, and it was reassuring somehow, because what inhuman being shrugged?

"You asked for information on the Shinigami. I couldn't very well give you all the vast amount of practical knowledge I have on them, and what little history I know wouldn't have sufficed. It was also a way to subtly put you on the right track about me. I _was_ ordered to recruit wizards for the war, after all."

They all fell quiet as they watched the teacher, whose golden orbs reflected the flames flickering in the fireplace. He looked very calm, very composed, almost at peace, though they doubted he'd ever open up enough in front of them that they'd actually see him completely at ease.

"You don't expect us to join, do you?"

He looked up briefly, eyes meeting Harry's for the shortest second, before looking back at the fire.

"No."

"Why not?"

He took a small sip of _sake_.

"Our war has been going on for the past seven years. I can't imagine what it would be for you after twenty years of constant fear."

"We had thirteen years of reprieve thanks to Harry." Hermione pointed out.

"Maybe. But people like Severus and Albus, people like Lucius... they knew the Dark Lord would be back and they lived in constant fear and anticipation of that day. When it happened, your Ministry proved utterly useless, and in the end, it was a war fought on two fronts. They deserve their rest. And I fully understand that. Us Shinigami live for centuries. As dead people, we age very slowly, and consequently have very long lives. Mortals, however, don't have that luxury. Severus has spent most of his life at war, as has the rest of his generation and the one before that. I do not wish a second war on them."

"You said yours is bloodier than ours..." Draco murmured.

"Yes. Because Shinigami fights often entail mass-destruction, and Japan has a very long war tradition. We cultivate the Arts since birth, be it only by attending lessons at the local _dojo_ or actually learning strategy and how to wield weapons. We are a Warrior country, and I don't expect that will change anytime soon."

There was a knock at the door, and he stood, only to come back with Lucius and Severus in tow.

"Students out of bed, I see." The blonde commented. The Potions Master, much to the small group's surprise, said nothing and instead chose to ignore them.

"Let's go." Harry said, tugging at Draco's hand as he stood. Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son, but said nothing. "Thanks for answering our questions, Professor."

"No problem, Potter." The man waved off the gratitude dismissively. "Good night."

The three men waited for the portrait to swing back shut, then settled down on the seats around the fireplace. The two British accepted a glass of _sake_ for Severus, Brandy for Lucius, and sipped at their drinks quietly, neither saying a word as they contemplated what they had learned today.

Ichigo had certainly become a powerful warrior, but the fact that Shinigami were supposed to be dead still bothered them.

"Are you dead?"

In other circumstances and to the uneducated ear, the inquiry might have sounded odd, comical even, as the man it had been directed at was clearly sitting there, breathing and quietly drinking from a cup of very fine alcohol. Ichigo, though, seemed to find humor in it, as when he glanced up, his eyes were full of mirth.

"No."

"But you said you died. Several times."

"Yes I did."

"Then how-"

"I think, Severus, that it would be better if Ichigo were to explain this all to the Order as I doubt he would appreciate having to repeat himself several times over." Lucius said, turning to Ichigo. "Maybe we could do this by way of memories, if you agree?"

He hesitated only a second.

"That would be acceptable."

Severus looked somewhat disappointed, but said nothing, acknowledging the wisdom in his blonde friend's statement.

"Very well. But you and us will have a talk after that, young man."

Said young man merely smiled, and the rest of the evening was spent catching up, as between classes, war emergencies and Order meetings, they hadn't had time to just enjoy each other's company properly for several months.

o-O-o

It was a full week before Dumbledore called for another Order meeting. Ichigo had gone to report the situation to Yamamoto, who'd decided to give the wizards time to think about the choice they'd been given, and allowed him to give up any information that would be required if it helped get the humans on their side. Everybody fell silent when the DADA teacher swept in, looking as regal as ever in his crimson and black robes, and sat down elegantly before crossing his legs at the knee. It seemed to be one of his favorite sitting postures.

"Lucius suggested I show you some of my memories to help you understand some key facts of this war and see the true extent of the damage Shinigami can deal and sustain. I think this idea is acceptable. It will spare me a lot of explanations, and a lot of confusion on your part. Any objections?"

They all shook their heads.

"Very well, then. We will start with the difference between a Plus and a Hollow."

For the second time since he had walked into their lives, they got to see his wand, and could only admire its pure beauty and deadliness as he raised it to his temple and pulled. A curt flick of his wrist let the silver filament loose, and then, with a muttered spell, they were all sucked into the memory.

* * *

><p><strong>And done! Did you like it? There was a lot of talking, I'm afraid... <strong>

**Please leave a review! **

**Until next time! **


	26. Black Holes and Revelations

**Hi everyone! New chapter for you guys! I hope you enjoy it!  
><strong>**Has anyone watched the Korean drama _Fated to Love You_? I usually hate romance, but this one is just awesome, I strongly recommend it!  
><strong>**I proofread myself a bit quickly so there might still be mistakes.  
><strong>**Thank you all for your patience with me and I'll do my best to write more from now on!  
>Cheers!<strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 25:<span>

_They were standing in an empty street, lined with houses and small gardens, everything irreproachably clean. The sun was shining over their heads, well on its way to setting, lighting the surroundings with a soothing, warm orange light._

"Where are you, Professor?" Hermione asked, looking at the teacher. But the man was already looking at the corner of the street, and sure enough, they heard the sound of footsteps before someone turned the corner.

_It was a teenager, with bright orange hair and hazel eyes. His face was set in a scowl and he had his hands stuck in his pockets, gray uniform and messenger bag a testimony to the fact that he'd just been at school. Looking at the adult standing by them, they could see the resemblance, but the teen, though he looked grave, wasn't nearly as scarred or tall, and his hair wasn't the same color. They followed him as he walked, then followed his gaze as he stiffened and took a left before stopping near a streetlight, scowl deepening by the second as he took in the scene._

"_Oi, you punk!" One of the five guys fooling around yelled suddenly. "Whatcha lookin' at?"_

_He rushed at the teenager when he didn't answer, intent on 'beating some respect into his freaky orange head', only to find himself unconscious on the ground five seconds later._

"_What the hell's wrong with you? You kick Yama-chan down then tell _us_ to get outta the way?"_

_The teenager didn't move, completely unfazed even as yet another punk charged at him, only to get a foot to the face and then be thoroughly crushed into the solid ground, much to the horror of his little friends._

"_Quit yakkin'!" Memory-Ichigo suddenly yelled. "All of you bastards, look at that!" He pointed at a bottle of milk lying broken on its side, the water and flowers it had contained spilled on the ground. "Question number 1: what the hell is that? Yes, you in the middle!"_

_He was talking with an authority which seemed only natural in him and made the three grown-ups cower._

"_Um, uh... A tribute for the kid who died here recently?"_

"_Absolutely right!" Ichigo punctuated his reply with a strong kick to the guy's face. "Okay then, why would that bottle have fallen over?"_

"_Well, we were skateboarding and knocked it over..." One of the two remaining guys stuttered out._

"_You bastards!" Ichigo shouted as he knocked them both down. "I dare you to do that again! I'll make it so that people have to lay flowers for you too!"_

_His anger was so palpable, so very real and burning, that the group fled with their tails between their legs, screaming apologies without even looking back at the teenager standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. Shaking his head with a sigh, he turned around and to the streetlight._

"_I'll bring some flowers for you tomorrow." He said seemingly to the empty air, and Ron started snickering, only to choke as the translucent figure of a little girl appeared in the street, a broken chain dangling from her chest._

"_Thanks for chasing them away. Now I can rest peacefully, _Onii-chan_."_

The memory faded away, and they found themselves standing in another street, watching Ichigo walk down the sidewalk. It appeared to be the next day, as there were flowers peeking out of his messenger bag.

"That was a Plus." Kurosaki told them. "Now we'll see a Hollow."

"_Oi!" The little girl didn't show herself, but instead, Ichigo heard a scream, followed by an inhumane howl, and started running towards it. There was an explosion, and then, they watched, dumbfounded, as a gigantic bug-like monster with a white mask and a hole through its stomach appeared amidst the dust raised by the impact. The Plus girl came running out of the smoke and darted towards Ichigo, who called out to her to run before following. The girl fell, and Ichigo went back to help her, but right as the Hollow descended on them, a black butterfly fluttered right in front of its face, and then Kuchiki Rukia stood there, sword in hand as she slayed the beast. Without a word, she disappeared, leaving a dumbfounded teenager standing in the street with a bunch of oblivious humans._

_Again, the memory faded._

They found themselves back in the Headmaster's office. The DADA teacher took back the memory.

"You now know the difference between a Plus and a Hollow."

"What was that chain?" Sirius asked curiously.

"The Chain of Fate. The person is considered dead once it is broken. Technically, I am dead even though my human body still lives, which allows me to continue living in it."

"How is that possible?" Arthur Weasley asked, looking skeptical.

"You will find that 'possible' and 'impossible' are meaningless words when it comes to me." The hybrid answered, and there was a well-concealed bitterness in his voice as he spoke. "I lost my powers once but managed to regain them in a process which effectively involved my death. It's complicated and not a story I am willing to tell you about right now. We will now proceed to the releases of a Zanpakutô. As mine is an exception, I asked a friend of mine if he would be willing to let me show you what a normal release is."

He pulled out another memory, and then, they were standing in the middle of a very clean street, with white pavement, lined by flawless white walls topped with golden tiles, and with a cloudless blue sky over them. Ichigo was standing there, clad in the same black uniform they'd seen on Kuchiki Rukia a few minutes earlier, although he was holding a big cleaver-like sword in his hands and was bleeding from a cut above his left eyebrow.

_The man across from him was entirely bald, with red tattoos at the corner of his eyes, and was similarly injured, though he'd applied some kind of paste to the wounds which had stopped the bleeding. Both were standing at the ready, visibly in the middle of a fight._

"_Who's your master, Ichigo?"_

"_I only learned from him for ten days so I don't know if he can be called my 'master', but he did teach me fighting."_

"_Who?"_

"_Urahara Kisuke."_

_The bald man widened his eyes in shock. "So _that's _it. _He's_ your master... Then killing you without going all out would be seriously rude." He shifted his stance so that the pommel of his Zanpakutô would be stuck against the scabbard. "Grow... Houzukimaru!"_

_There was a flash of light, and then the sword and scabbard changed into a long wooden spear with a jagged blade and some red material dangling from its end._

The memory shifted to another scene. They were standing in a very dark room with high ceilings and lines upon lines of small, square-shaped alcoves on either side. A silver-haired, red-eyed man was standing there, clad in a long trench coat.

"_Kariya!" He turned to the entrance -or more like a hole blown through the wall, only to find an orange-haired teenager standing there, naked blade in hand. Ichigo clasped his left hand over his right forearm._

"_Bankai!" Light exploded around him, and when the dust dissipated, they saw that his clothes had changed to a long coat with ragged edges the inside of which was a deep crimson, and his cleaver-like sword had changed to a straight black blade with a handle shaped like a swastika. "Tensa Zangetsu."_

_Ichigo charged, along with the tall Hispanic male standing behind him, and the scene dissolved._

"My Bankai is something of an anomaly." Kurosaki said calmly. "Usually, a Zanpakutô's second release is gigantic and highly destructive. I will not show you any for now, though, as I am sure my fellow captains would strongly dislike it were I to go around showing the extent of their abilities to complete strangers." He raised a hand to stop them from protesting. "I will, however, show you the destruction an all-out fight can cause."

And just like that, they were whisked off into yet another memory.

_This time, they were standing in a swirling void of nothingness. Things whizzed past them from time to time, howling and shapeless, and they found themselves growing nervous as they could see nothing anywhere. A quick glance at Kurosaki, however, assured them that this was normal, and suddenly, they understood why. There was a light coming towards them, and soon, they could make out the figure of the captain as he came running on some sort of glowing pathway. They gasped as they saw the dreadful state he was in._

_His clothes were tattered and torn, his body stained with blood, littered with scars. He sported several gaping wounds, though, by some miracle, he wasn't bleeding anymore, and the left side of his torso looked to have been horribly burned, smoke still rising from the flesh. None of this seemed to affect his resolve and speed, though, as he breezed past them before suddenly stopping. His eyes blazed gold as he raised one hand and reached out with one finger and suddenly, the void before him ripped open to reveal a blue sky under him. He stepped through the portal and they shouted in alarm as he dropped down like a stone, surroundings blurring together with unbelievable speed._

_Hermione closed her eyes and pursed her lips tightly, trying to contain her nausea, before suddenly, everything was normal again, and they saw that Ichigo had stopped. He was now standing at the very edge of a desolate hill overlooking what they could only assume to be Soul Society, eyes somber as he looked down at what had once been an immaculate town of white walls and golden roofs. Slowly, he sheathed his Zanpakutô._

_Thick black smoke was billowing up from the huge fires ravaging Seireitei, small black silhouettes rushing from place to place to try and stop the blazes. The once tall towers of the Shrine of Penitence had been reduced to ashes, and bodies littered the ground. A single step of Shunpo brought the young man in front of a pair of double doors with the number 5 engraved on them, and he slowly walked through, nodding at the people who bowed at him._

"_Captain!" They turned to see a small girl with brown hair held back in a bun rush forward and bow. "Captain Unohana should take a look at those wounds, captain." She said, but he shook his head._

"_How many men did we lose this time, Hinamori?"_

"_Ten, captain."_

_He closed his eyes briefly. "Make sure to notify me when the time for the funeral is set."_

"_Yes, captain."_

_He paused. When he spoke again, it was in a louder voice so that everyone around would hear him. As soon as they understood he was addressing them all, each and every one of them stopped whatever they were doing to stand at attention, respect obvious in their eyes._

"_You have all fought valiantly, and defended Seireitei with all your might. I am proud to call you my men. Tomorrow, we shall honor the dead and mourn our losses, but tonight, we all need rest. You are dismissed. Go home."_

_They all stared at him, a new brightness in their eyes, and then bowed deeply as one._

"_Thank you, Captain Shihouin!"_

_And then, they slowly dragged themselves into the barracks._

"_You're too good for this world."_

_They turned, only to find a rugged man standing there, wavy brown hair tied in a low ponytail, clad in the typical Shinigami garb, except for the bright pink haori slung over the captain's white haori. He had two swords, and a serious case of five o'clock shadow. Deep grey eyes met mismatched orbs as Ichigo turned to face him._

"_They need rest. And we lost ten men today." The young noble merely answered, to which the other captain only sighed and stepped forward, looking around._

"_Your division was amongst the most harshly hit. Aizen's been targeting you more and more these days."_

_He said nothing to that, choosing to change the subject instead._

"_Where's Ukitake-san?"_

"_The smoke's bad for him. Retsu-chan decided to keep him in the fourth's barracks until the air was clean enough again."_

_Ichigo nodded._

"_Come on. I don't think Renji, Byakuya and the others would say no to a cup of sake or two."_

_Kyoraku smiled._

"_Thank you, Ichigo." And as he followed and walked past them, the Order members distinctly heard him repeat "too good for this world" under his breath, eyes shining with gratitude and affection as he caught up to the Shihouin Clan Head._

Once again, they found themselves back in the Headmaster's office, feeling slightly disoriented before they turned back to the Hybrid, who, for some reason, looked slightly confused - and embarrassed.

"Who was that?" Ron asked bluntly.

"The girl was my lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, and the man was the Eighth Division Captain, Shunsui Kyoraku. As you have seen, the damage caused by the battle was extensive, and this was a scene from the aftermath of a fight which had actually taken place in Hueco Mundo, not Soul Society. The fact is that our abilities generally cause mass destruction, and that anyone not gifted with a consequential amount of reiatsu must be far from the place where the captains fight. Maybe I can arrange a mock fight with someone later on so that you can get an idea of the way we fight."

They all mulled over what they had seen silently, before Harry spoke up.

"You said you would explain how you'd died several times."

Kurosaki's eyes darkened at that, but he didn't object.

"One of my friends has the ability to reject events. This allows her to resurrect people."

"Can we see?" Bill asked tactlessly, much to his mother's indignation.

"Bill!" She exclaimed.

Ichigo hesitated, but then nodded his head.

"I guess." He said hesitantly. "This took place seven years ago, when I was fifteen. The friend I was talking about... I think you've met her, actually, Orihime Inoue."

"Ah, the girl who came to heal you!"

He nodded at Tonks.

"Indeed. Seven years ago, Aizen kidnapped her and took her to Hueco Mundo. Soul Society refused to send a rescue party so my friends and I took it upon ourselves to go free her. It was... hard. I didn't have as much power as I do now, and most of our enemies were far more powerful than I was. In the end, Ulquiorra killed me."

His fingers twitched briefly, betraying his uneasiness, before he raised his wand to his temple once more and they were sucked into the past again.

_Everything was stark white. There was a steep staircase leading to an open door in front of them, and at the top stood the man the Professor had killed a few weeks ago. They also saw a young man standing with his back to them, half of his top torn apart to reveal a muscular body covered in bruises. They moved to the side to get a better view of him, and realized with a start that it was actually Ichigo, but with spiky orange hair and deep brown eyes. He was staring determinedly at Ulquiorra, who was talking in a monotone._

"_I am the Cuarta Espada, Ulquiorra Ciffer. I am the fourth most powerful Espada." He raised his hand slowly... and then drove it brutally through the young man's chest. Karin and Yuzu screamed. Hermione buried her face into Ron's chest, and there were a lot of startled exclamations and horrified gasps. Tonks and Molly had their hands clasped over her mouth._

"_Kurosaki Ichigo. You can't defeat me. And even if you could, there are still three Espada more powerful than me. No matter how many times you stand back up and fight..."_

_He jerked his hand out of the teen's chest. Blood splattered on the ground as the orange-haired hybrid spat out a mouthful of crimson liquid and coughed, collapsing to the ground._

"_...your side will never win. Looks like I overestimated you. You didn't improve as much as I thought you would." He gazed down at the dead body laying at his feet, then added. "It's over." And then he walked away, still talking._

"_If you can still move in your current condition, then go home. If you can't, then die here. Your road ends here anyway, Shinigami."_

_There was a burst of reaitsu from the corpse, and the sword he was still gripping even in death changed from a long, slim black blade to a cleaver-like sword._

_The scene shifted. The blue-haired man, Grimmjow, was standing there, looking at a small child with a broken mask on her short green hair and tear tracks on her face. He also held something covered with a cloth under his arm._

"_Move, brat."_

_The child didn't, merely stuttering incoherently as she stared up at him, and he chose to ignore her, instead turning to the corpse lying there. He kicked it with such strength that it went rolling, and scoffed when he saw the large hole in the center of his chest._

"_Che. I knew it."_

_He made to step forward, ignoring the small child's cry of 's-stop!' and tore off the piece of material covering the bundle under his arm, only to reveal a chained and gagged Inoue, who fell to her knees by the corpse, gag cut off with a single swing of Grimmjow's sword. She stared down at the dull, open eyes of the man who'd been killed trying to rescue her._

"_Heal him." She gasped, eyes snapping up to the Espada, who just plopped down on a boulder and stared back at her, before she raised her hands to her hairpins and two small fairy-like creatures jumped to life and created a glowing orange shield like the one they'd seen a few weeks earlier._

_The child started crying hysterically, screaming about how she'd been weighing the teen down and how he'd taken the full brunt of an attack to protect her instead of fending it off. Halfway through her teary tirade, Grimmjow grew bored and yelled at her to shut up. _

"_Say one more word and I'll crush you!" He growled, making her swallow fearfully. "He'll heal even if you're not bawling. So sit back and watch."_

_Black wisps of energy were slowly rising from the gaping hole in Ichigo's chest, and the girl looked to be struggling to heal him, brows furrowed in concentration and small beads of sweat slowly running down her beautiful face._

"_Who could have done this?" She murmured, more to herself than to Grimmjow, but he answered anyway._

"_Ulquiorra. I don't know whether he noticed or not, but he's got that nasty habit to give his enemies a hole at the exact same place he got his." He paused, scowling in anger, before adding. "I'll teach him... what happens when you steal someone else's prey!"_

_Ichigo's hand twitched, prompting the three people in the destroyed room to lean forward in anticipation, and life returned to his eyes as he stared upwards._

"_Nel... and Inoue?" He asked, his voice raspy with shock._

_The two girls were getting teary, but were rudely interrupted by Grimmjow stomping his foot on the ground._

"_Shut up! If you've got time to whine, then use it to heal him faster!"_

"_G-Grimmjow? What are you doing with Inoue?" Ichigo stammered. It was strange to see him looking so very young and human, compared to the cold, strong man they knew._

"_You just lay still and get better! I want you in top shape so that we can get this over with!"_

"_Grimmjow!" Inoue exclaimed in horror. "You're making me heal him just for that?"_

"_Shut up, I said!"_

"_He was dead, and I let you save him! Stop complaining and hurry the hell up! Ulquiorra'll be back as soon as he guesses what's going on here. So before tha-"_

_The raven-haired Espada reappeared right behind him, and he froze, whirling around._

"_Ulquiorra..." Grimmjow said defensively._

"_What are you doing, Grimmjow?" He stepped forward. "Why are you healing an enemy I defeated?" The Sexta just smirked. "No answer?"_

_No one dared make a sound as he gazed at Inoue, who averted her gaze. Kurosaki, Hermione noticed, narrowed his gaze at the picture, trying to identify the girl's feelings. Shame? Fear? He didn't like this._

"_No matter. Aizen-sama ordered me to watch this woman. Give her back to me."_

"_Bite me."_

_Ulquiorra's "what?" was just as quiet as usual, but full of menace, though Grimmjow didn't seem to care in the least._

"_So? You're quite talkative today, Ulquiorra." He charged, and there was a stream of light which the emotionless Arrancar blocked with a single hand. They fought briefly, the blue-haired man brazenly provoking the Cuarta, before suddenly, he managed to throw a very small black box outlined with purple energy into the hole in his chest, and he disappeared with a muttered "shit". He then quickly explained what the _Caja Negación_ was as the triangular __shield which had protected Inoue from the debris fell away, then ordered her to speed up the process, only for her to refuse._

_In a flash, he was holding her by the throat, but she kept refusing, arguing that if she healed the fallen hybrid, Grimmjow would only hurt him again. Furious, he started to strangle her..._

_A hand clasped over his arm with a vice-like grip, and they saw that even half-dead, Ichigo had found the strength to get up and stop him, eyes full with resolve even as his muscles trembled with exhaustion and he could barely stand upright._

"_Let her go. Heal me, Inoue. Please." _

"_What?"_

"_Heal my wounds. And... his, too."_

_And it was only then that they noticed that Grimmjow's arm was charred and smoking from stopping Ulquiorra's cero. _

_Fifteen minutes and a lot of provoking later, which actually made the two enemies look more like sparring buddies or rivals than anything else, the two were in the air, red-rimmed black reitsu pouring from Ichigo's sword hand to engulf his Zanpakutô. When he landed, he didn't look the same at all._

_Their surroundings faded away._

"Three hours later, Ulquiorra killed me again." Kurosaki said quietly as they came back to the present.

Karin and Yuzu were openly crying, burying themselves in their father's arms as they shook violently, staring fiercely at their brother as if afraid he would disappear anytime. Ginny scuttled closer to Bill and grabbed his hand, imagining herself in the twins' place and shivering in horror while the adults looked at the Kurosakis. Isshin's eyes were suspiciously bright, but he didn't say anything, and merely tried to comfort his daughters to the best of his ability. Ichigo, though, didn't so much as glance at them.

"You died twice... in three hours?" Harry croaked out. Everyone looked visibly shaken. "I died once... and it was really unpleasant."

The DADA teacher looked vaguely surprised at that.

"Unpleasant? The Killing Curse is one of the most peaceful ways to die, though."

"Yes." Harry conceded. "But still."

They shared a long look, eyes darkening in mutual understanding before the older man nodded slowly.

"Yes." Ichigo finally said softly. "I guess it can be quite terrifying."

"Weren't you scared?" Blaise asked quietly.

The young teacher hesitated briefly.

"Things were very hectic. There was no time to be afraid. We just had to get in, fight our way to Inoue, get her, get out. It was a constant struggle, and the slightest faltering could get us all killed. We weren't fighting only for ourselves and our survival, but also for the others. To get back and know that we'd all made it home safely. To get to our friends who were also battling their own opponents and needed our help. It was dangerous, and we were risking our lives, yes. But we didn't have time to feel fear. There was only the urge to win."

They considered his words carefully, amazed by the way this young man thought, his strength and the fact that he'd already been thinking like that at the tender age of fifteen, when they themselves had only been whimsical brats right in the middle of their teenage crisis.

"So, Inoue healed you again after that?" Theo asked curiously.

He stiffened slightly at that.

"No. Let's just say that... I came into a very useful ability of Shiro's."

His features darkened and he tightened his jaw, and they decided to let the subject drop as it seemed to be sensitive.

Again, there were a few minutes of silence.

"So, this Aizen... Who's he?" Tonks asked at last.

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair.

"Aizen used to be the captain of the fifth division."

"Isn't that yours?" Ron interrupted rudely.

"Yes, it is. I took over a few years ago. Anyway, he started experimenting on Hollowfication a few centuries back, with the help of two other captains, Ichimaru Gin of the third division and Tousen Kaname of the ninth. He is a master illusionist, thanks to his Zanpakuto's powers. Kyoka Suigetsu, release phrase "Shatter". Though it isn't a particularly powerful Zanpakuto it has the ability to ensnare all senses in an illusion. Anyone exposed to its power at least once can be put under an illusion at any time. It's extremely dangerous."

"Shouldn't you have lost already, then?" Draco said. "After all, no offense, but the only thing he has to do is to put you all under an illusion and have you kill yourselves off."

Ichigo's features tightened at that, as he remembered Hitsugaya's despair when Aizen had made him stab Hinamori, thinking she was the traitor, but he quickly gathered his composure.

"Aizen doesn't participate in most battles. He mostly stays back and sends Hollows and Arrancars. And his sword has a weakness. Touch it once, and you're immune. For a reason none of us can understand, he seems to like this, seeing all types of creatures destroy themselves. He's... very lonely."

Sirius snorted at that.

"Please, lonely? From what you've told us, he's got thousands of minions to obey his every whim!"

"Followers don't make for good company." Kurosaki answered softly. "And more often than not, power builds a wall between you and others. Aizen's been on a different level for a very long time, and gave up on finding anyone capable of understanding him. In the end, he decided to build another world."

"That's ridiculous." Emeline Vance scoffed.

"It isn't." Ichigo protested calmly. "Aizen is neither an idiot nor a psychopath. He's a genius, but also extremely powerful, insanely so, and determined to get to his goal. Killing the Soul King would be nothing to him, like crushing a bug under your shoe. However, for this, he needs a hundred thousand souls to create the _Ouken,_ the key to the King's dimension. And that is the reason we're all at war now."

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked softly, looking for once dead serious.

"Seven years ago, when everything began, Karakura was the place with the highest concentration of spiritual energy, which he would need for the Ouken. However, we managed to defend it until the damage caused by the constant fighting made the inhabitants evacuate and scatter across the world. Consequently, there is now no real place he could use for the process. Karakura has become a ghost town, and what was initially a single battle over Karakura, an all-out war."

"From what you tell us, though, there is no way mere humans could ever be of any use in this war..." Lucius said.

The young man smirked at that.

"That's where you're wrong. Humans have unlimited potential. My friends were originally mere mortals, but prolonged exposure to my ever-leaking reiatsu led to them developing powers of their own. Though they were never Shinigamis, they're all well-known fighters of this war, and quite powerful too." He paused to help himself to a glass of Brandy a house-elf had popped in to bring him. "Brandy anyone? No? Your loss. Anyway, Aizen was quick to understand that he'd need humans to win this war, and enlisted the help of several wizarding clans. Though their participation has yet to be confirmed, the King is making ready to retaliate and face a civil war."

"I guess your clan would then get involved?" Snape said.

Ichigo gravely dipped his chin.

"Unfortunately, yes. In that case, however, someone else will lead this part of the war in my stead. Even I can't be fighting on two fronts at the same time, I'm afraid."

"So, how did he convince them?" Sturgis Podmore asked, prompting a casual shrug from the hybrid.

"Power and wealth have always been what moves humans the most. Some of the clans are desperate for status and recognition, and others are displeased with our King's pacifist policy over the past few decades."

"So you think he would be targeted?"

"Most likely. But he is very capable of defending himself, and surrounded by a trustworthy guard, the members of which are the best we can offer. Loyalty to the King comes first for them."

"If you're sure..." It was Sirius. Ichigo sneered at his doubtful look.

"I am."

They looked at him. He seemed very confident, nonchalant even, as he sipped quietly at the Brandy, eyes half-closing as he enjoyed his drink. Speaking of war, strategies, possible attempts against his king's life and upcoming battles didn't appear to faze him in the least, and they realized with a jolt that it most likely didn't. He'd been involved for almost a decade, and had become one of the prominent leaders of the conflict, consequently putting him in a position where he got a lot of responsibilities weighing on his shoulders. For some reason, though, it was as if he were a born-leader, a born-fighter, a born-protector.

'The One Protector' indeed. Kurosaki Ichigo lived up to his name and more.

"So you need us to fight the rebellious clans."

"Indeed. You would, however, be given intensive training beforehand, at my mansion. Otherwise, it would be like sending a bunch of lambs to the slaughterhouse."

"Thanks." Bill said sarcastically, and the young man merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged in a way that clearly said 'What? It's true.'

Eventually, Dumbledore turned to the gathered members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"I think all of you should be able to make your decision without regards to what the others chose. Know that whatever you decide, you are free to refuse and will not be resented if you do."

"Of course." Ichigo said as he carefully set his glass down, and they suddenly felt compelled to listen to him as he straightened up in his chair, eyes determined as he looked at them all. "Dumbledore is right. I understand that you just got out of one war. I understand that you want peace, and are afraid, especially given the fact that I showed you all those horrors. Should you chose to come, I can guarantee no survival or return. I can, however, assure you that all will be done to give you all your chances. I want you to know that _you are in no way obliged to go_. I nor any in Seireitei will hold a grudge if you don't." There was only sincerity in his gaze as he looked at them, and they found that they couldn't doubt him, as he practically radiated truthfulness.

He stood. "I will leave you to your thoughts now. Whatever you decide, I leave at the end of term. If you want to come, tell me, and we can start training before we can all go to Japan."

And just like that, he swept out of the room, quickly followed by his father and two sisters.

o-O-o

He breathed in deeply as he stepped out of the stuffy office, and started down the corridor, only to stop dead in his tracks as he heard his sisters calling out to him. Spinning around, he found them standing by the gargoyle with their father. Golden met brown, and Isshin slowly nodded, hands gently resting on his daughters' shoulders. He squeezed once, then let go and walked away without looking back.

The siblings stayed where they were, staring intently at each other, before Ichigo gave a soft sigh and turned. They quickly got the message and hurried after him as he went down to the Main Hall and through the Entrance Doors in search of fresh air and some privacy, which he found by the far side of the lake. They hesitantly joined him as he stood looking at the still waters, neither daring to break the silence and the peace their brother so visibly enjoyed.

For a split second, Ichigo's features relaxed as he let his eyes slide shut and just enjoyed the breeze caressing his face, and it was strange, Karin reflected, to see how different he looked when his face wasn't tense in worry, anticipation, or determination. Right now, in this moment, he was almost... twenty-two. And then, suddenly, he wasn't anymore, and he was the man they knew so well once more, and she stepped forward, realizing how much they'd pushed him away that he didn't show them his real self anymore.

"Ichi-nii..." He tensed slightly but didn't turn around.

She breathed in deeply, trying to muster up the courage for this. It was important, crucial even. Because they couldn't go on without their brother much longer, because their selfishness had kept their father apart from him, because Ichigo's involvement in this war was a direct consequence of his desire to protect them. All of this, in the end, was their fault, and instead of thanking him as they should have, they'd just rejected him under the pretense that he selfishly risked his life over and over again, without any consideration for their feelings.

"We need to talk."

* * *

><p><strong>Aaand... cut! Did you like it? Still not much action, sorry! But things are coming to light now. I've got a presentation on thursday, wish me luck! But I hope to get back to writing after that. Let's hope I can actually overcome my writer's block. <strong>

**Until next time, guys! **


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